Despite my father’s usual reluctance to offer compliments, he has great admiration for our mother. He once described her as selfless, sacrificial, and devoted. I would like to add that she is also helpful and understanding. As adolescents, we often encounter perplexing problems, yet she consistently supports us without hesitation. I firmly believe that having a devoted, selfless, helpful, and understanding mother is one of life’s greatest blessings. Fortunately, I am fortunate enough to have such a mother. There is no barrier between us children and her; the concept of the ‘generation gap’ does not exist for her. To her, I am an open book. While I respect her privacy and rarely intrude on her personal matters (if any), she patiently listens to our conversations instead of sharing her own difficulties. Our discussions are mostly one-sided but can be lengthy and cover topics ranging from my little sister’s mischiefs to new things I learned in chemistry at school.
One particular quality that impresses me about my mother is her selfless dedication towards us. Our needs always take precedence over her own interests – even ensuring meals are prepared on time according to our preferences.
Without a complaint, she willingly sacrifices a good night’s sleep to care for us when we’re sick. Her personal belongings are few, but intentionally so. Our needs and desires always take precedence in her priorities. The trinkets we adorn ourselves with today were once hers. She possesses an exceptional understanding of fashion, surpassing our own knowledge in this realm. Witnessing us dressed stylishly fills her with private joy. My mother adheres to an unspoken philosophy: fully utilizing one’s talents, which she exemplifies through her actions instead of mere words. Despite managing countless household tasks, she manages to carve out time for reading, often choosing books with educational value.
She is knowledgeable in both child psychology and adolescent psychology. She is constantly working on improving her culinary skills. She regularly reads health magazines to ensure we are consuming the right vitamins and minerals. She stays updated on both national and international news, and makes it a habit to read the newspapers early in the morning. She values maintaining connections with relatives and friends, and consistently visits them. Because my father tends to avoid interacting with people he is not close to, it falls on us to accompany her when she wants to visit someone.
It is possible that my mother requires one of us to accompany her, possibly due to tradition or her own shyness. When we visit her, she adeptly engages in pleasant conversations and invites everyone, as if our presence alone does not fulfill her need for companionship. However, my mother does not impose any restrictions on us. She allows us the freedom to express ourselves and make choices, but also ensures that this freedom comes with responsibility through her actions. Occasionally, when we annoy her, she remains silent like a statue. Surprisingly, our attempts to please her and break this vow of silence seem to have a positive effect.
Our approach to competition and education contrasts sharply with hers. Instead of putting pressure on us to study, she believes that we will naturally emulate her and give our best effort. She doesn’t anxiously wait for news of our academic standing at the school gate; rather, she only becomes aware of our exam results when we humbly present our report cards for her signature. In addition to being a loving mother, she also takes on the roles of secretary, companion, and domestic accountant for our father. Her dedication to him reflects typical oriental values, and it often appears that her sole purpose in life is to ensure both his happiness and ours.
Despite my father’s frequent anger, my mother possesses the ability to consistently calm him down. Although he seldom communicates with us directly, my mother assumes the role of his secretary and ensures he remains informed about our activities. My father genuinely appreciates her unwavering loyalty and dedication to our family, often praising her for being an outstanding mother and more. From my perspective, she is flawless; I perceive her as perfect. Undoubtedly, within any family unit, the mother plays a pivotal role in maintaining happiness and unity. In our own family, she fulfills this responsibility exceptionally.
