Even mothers in heaven can be celebrated

Once again May is here, a month when we celebrate our mothers. In most cases, especially when mothers are being celebrated, most people who have lost their mothers in one way or the other shy away from embracing the day and look forward to its end. If anything, they brush it off like any other bad day in their lives, probably equate it to Friday the 13th.

 This however should not be the case for I believe all mothers deserve a standing ovation whether present or absent. Just the fact that they chose to carry us for whatever number of months inside them wading through the tough pregnancy waters should be reason enough to celebrate them.

Some people argue that they never got the chance to know their mothers for one reason or the other and have no reason to celebrate the day. From a mother's point of view, I would encourage everyone to appreciate their mothers unconditionally. It takes a lot of courage and heartache to let go of a child you have carried in you for whatever reason.

 Sometimes mothers make the toughest choices in the universe regarding their children and all this is for the children's own good. Some people may argue that they were abandoned by their mothers at birth and would therefore not wish to associate with the word 'Mother', again, from a mother's perspective, it takes not just an arm and a leg but the whole body and soul to let go of your child.

Given a chance to speak out later in life, most of such mothers always harbour regrets in them wishing they never took that dreadful step. But because all they had in mind during that time was their children's happiness, most of them took the easy way out which was letting go of their most treasured possessions, their children.

Other people think that since their mothers grew wings and joined our maker, there is absolutely no reason to celebrate them. Instead, they coil in their seats and start mourning their mothers all over again. Now, let me not talk from a mother's point of view but from an orphan's point of view. If on any day I find people celebrating their parents, I will not even wait to ask why, I will jump in and celebrate my parents as though they were in the next room watching their favourite programme.

 I will be in the front line to blow the vuvuzela and shout "Happy Mothers' Day!" as I dance to whatever music will be playing. If at all no music will be playing, I promise to be the soloist and lead people in songs of celebration. All because I believe our loved ones should be celebrated no matter what.

Let us learn to look at the positive side of everything as we take each day in life. There is nothing wrong in mourning a loved one, a mother in this case, we all grieve in different ways. But when you erase all the good deeds your mother did not just to bring you into this world but to assure you remained happy, then there is absolutely something amiss and it needs urgent attention.

 I for instance would love to be celebrated by my daughter someday, not because I flew her to the Bahamas for a weekend or bought her a Lamborghini, but because of the mere fact that I existed in the first place.

During this month of May, do not look at those whose mothers are still alive and see them as a threat to your happiness, bless them if anything and encourage them to embrace their situation. Celebrate with them this month for we all have mothers, no one dropped from above like an unidentified flying object. If anything, a mother does not have to be whoever carried you in her for nine months, a mother could be anyone who has played or is still playing the role of a mother in your life. Let's all rise and give our mothers a round of applause this month. Let's celebrate this priceless lot!