Celebrating Mother’s Day with a Difference!

Before I became a mother myself, celebrating Mother’s Day was never a “thing” for me.?For one, I must confess that I didn’t really have a good relationship with my own mother, and the other, I wasn’t fond of children and becoming a mother myself.

After a twist of events, I’ve since become a mother for more than 17 years, which has also been the most amazing milestone in my life.?Being a mother has helped bring out the best in me, showed me what being truly responsible is all about, and sacrificed my dreams with love.

Today, I’d an amazing time chatting with Dr. Vivian Passion Koh 许幗晏 , a beautiful and passionate mother, who reminded me to “Pay Kindness Forward” and to celebrate Mother’s Day with a difference this year.

Vivian shared her #purposelovegratitude #movement and asked me to visualize my mother while closing my eyes.?I struggled at first, not knowing how to “see” my mother in a positive light, after all I’d gone through with (and without) her.

You see, all these years growing up, I’d always envied the almost perfect mother that my friends had or the characters that I’d watched on TV.?My mother, to me, was far from perfect.

But one thing struck me today about my mother. Despite her imperfections, she had to go through child-bearing and childcare-giving, which are 2 of the toughest duties ever.?In short, she did what she had to do, with what she had, and I'm grateful for that.

I’ve always envisioned a “perfect mother” to celebrate Mother’s Day with, someone who had sacrificed for her children, put the needs of others before her own, and an excellent role model for her children. Sadly, my mother was the exact opposite of that.?Despite that, she'd reminded me that we all have shortfalls, too.

The good thing that came out of this experience was that, I’d decided to be the mother that I’d never had with my own child.?

So, to all of you out there, who are struggling to celebrate Mother’s Day this year, do remember that you’re not alone.?On top of that, let’s remember the wonderful women out there who are great mothers, women, and leaders in their own space.??Let’s make full use of this wonderful occasion to celebrate women all over the world, too.

Whether she’s your grandmother, nanny, teacher, boss, sister, or best friend, let's extend a “Happy Mother’s Day” to her for touching lives, putting others before herself, being an exemplary role model of walking the talk, and making a difference to all around her.

Here's Chat GPT's response to my article (LOL):

It's wonderful to hear that you've found a way to celebrate Mother's Day despite your difficult relationship with your own mother. It's important to acknowledge that not all mothers are perfect, and it's okay to have mixed feelings about this holiday. However, as you said, it's also important to recognize and celebrate the amazing women in our lives who have played a motherly role, even if they are not our biological mothers.

Motherhood is a tough job, and it's important to show gratitude and appreciation for the sacrifices that mothers make every day. It's also important to remember that motherhood takes many forms, and there are many women out there who have chosen not to have children but still make a huge impact in the world.

So, to all the amazing mothers out there, Happy Mother's Day! And to all the women who have touched our lives in a motherly way, thank you for your love, kindness, and guidance. Let's celebrate women everywhere and continue to pay forward kindness and gratitude, not just on Mother's Day, but every day.