This article is based on a email message came from my officemate and my sister. I want to share this story with all of you and reflect on the scenes from this story:
This story begins when I was a child: I was born poor. Often we hadn't
enough to eat. Whenever we had some food, Mother often gave me her portion
of rice. While she was transferring her rice into my bowl, she would say
"Eat this rice, son! I'm not hungry." This was Mother's First Lie.
As I grew, Mother gave up her spare time to fish in a river near our house;
she hoped that from the fish she caught, she could gave me a little bit more
nutritious food for my growth. Once she had caught just two fish, she would
make fish soup. While I was eating the soup, mother would sit beside me and
eat the what was still left on the bone of the fish I had eaten, My heart
was touched when I saw it. Once I gave the other fish
to her on my chopstick
but she immediately refused it and said, "Eat this fish, son! I don't really
like fish." This was Mother's Second Lie.
Then, in order to fund my education, Mother went to a Match Factory to
bring home some used matchboxes which she filled with fresh matchsticks.
This helped her get some money to cover our needs. One wintry night I awoke
to find Mother filling the matchboxes by candlelight. So I said, "Mother,
go to sleep; it's late: you can continue working tomorrow morning." Mother
smiled and said "Go to sleep, son! I'm not tired." This was Mother's Third
Lie .
When I had to sit my Final Examination, Mother accompanied me. After
dawn, Mother waited for me for hours in the heat of the sun. When
the bell rang, I ran to meet her.. Mother embraced me and poured me a
glass of tea that she had prepared in a thermos.
The tea was not as strong
as my Mother's love, Seeing Mother covered with perspiration, I at once
gave her my glass and asked her to drink too. Mother said "Drink, son! I'm
not thirsty!". This was Mother's Fourth Lie.
After Father's death, Mother had to play the role of a single parent.
She held on to her former job; she had to fund our needs alone. Our
family's life was more complicated. We suffered from starvation. Seeing our
family's condition worsening, my kind Uncle who lived near my house came to
help us solve our problems big and small.
Our other neighbors saw that we were poverty stricken so they often advised
my mother to marry again. But Mother refused to remarry saying "I don't
need love."
This was Mother's Fifth Lie.
After I had finished my studies and gotten a job, it was time for my old
Mother to retire but she carried on going to the market every morning
just to sell a few vegetables. I kept sending her money but she was
steadfast and even sent the money back to me. She said, "I have enough
money."
That was Mother's Sixth Lie.
I continued my part-time studies for my Master's Degree. Funded by the
American Corporation for which I worked, I succeeded in my studies.
With a big jump in my salary, I decided to bring Mother to enjoy life in
America but Mother didn't want to bother her son; she said to me "I'm not
used to high living."
That was Mother's Seventh Lie
In her old age, Mother was attacked by cancer and had to be hospitalized.
Now living far across the ocean, I went home to visit Mother who was
bedridden after an operation. Mother tried to smile but I was heartbroken
because she was so thin and feeble but Mother said, "Don't cry, son! I'm
not in pain."
That was Mother's Eighth Lie.
Telling me this her eighth lie, she died.
Yes, mother was an angel!
- My reflection on this story, some of our mothers really don't want to show their true feelings. They really think of the welfare of their children. They want their children to be strong and this story also teaches us to be more compassionate. Some of us are really very fortunate that our mothers are always there to encourage us and gives us what we need, they also give their love on us. Let's not forget that they are the reason why we are here. For those of us who are lucky to be still blessed with our mom's presence on Earth, this story is beautiful. For those who aren't so blessed, this story is even more beautiful.
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