Mother ❤️

If one day I can be even half the woman my mother is, my life will be complete. Having to literally leave everything behind; her mother, her siblings, her house; all for her children's sake. When they arrived outside of our native country, my parents had nothing but five young children between 14-2 years in age, and two blankets. I can't fathom the thought of how they spent those first few cold months, having left our country in October, without no knowledge of this new country, the language, or its people. It amazes me how they learned the language, and are to this day, able to communicate with people using it. My mother was a true warrior soul. I remember so many bits and pieces of my childhood and in every single memory, my mother was there, my hero. I was the 2 year old in this scenario. I felt the move the least because, frankly, I don't remember much of my life before it. To me, this new land was beautiful, bountiful, and full of adventures to be had. I spent some of my greatest childhood years there. I made friends, learned almost every other language I know today, in that country. For me it was not challenging, given my age and "spongeability". I do however admire my elder siblings and my parents. My mother was about 14 when they had to pull her out of school. Women didn't attend school and her mother needed her to be in the kitchen instead. My mother didn't oblige and went on with what was required of her. A couple of years before that, my mother had lost her father to cancer. Eventually, my father and my mother met and married when she was 19 and he was 25. She never had it easy. After her move out of our country, she was forced to restart life again. I vividly remember walking through vegetable markets with her, me in tow, cattle walking around, the scent, the noises.

She never let us realize the or feel the hardships. When we came here and I saw the blue sky, I didn't realize this was normal. I didn't know the sky was blue. This story is my mother's favourite. 

Well here we were again, she started all over. Learning a new language, understanding the dynamics of this society, and getting used to the harsh winters. I remember her walking me to school everyday and walking me home. She'd always take my backpack full of books. I was embarrassed when she came. I didn't know better, I think most children have this phase. Sometimes people wonder why I love my mother so much, I could go on for a year with reasons. But these are just snippets of our life. I love you mother. If there is a day I leave the world, someone please remind her of this.