Personally, I prefer to linger on those good memories. They push mii through each day, and with that comes faith and total perseverance in whichever matter I choose to get my hands on. That and all that starts from a place called HOME, a place where I could always go back to no matter what happens, a place where my mind is calm and at peace. And the person keeping that place intact shall be no other than my mother. To mii, she was the one keeping everything in place, she cares for mii and my other 4 siblings. Being in a Chinese family of 7 household members, this really is a big family, not to mention the even bigger task for her to overhaul. Hence, everyday was a challenge for her, a challenge she must make do with to give us a stand, an identity in society.
Those times when I started to look back into my past, I saw that I was less appreciating on the sacrifices she has put up for us. As a teenager, it was a time period where egoism takes over those naive minds. I love her as a mother, but I could never learn to understand all that she has done for mii. Things were taken for granted. Every mother's day at that time, I always thought by giving her the best presents, or setting up the best celebration was all to it for this special day. I still didn't know the true meaning of mother's day and I was really in the path of perceiving things the wrong way. Things needed to change, and hence the turning point did come..
Back in those days, transportation was always a problem for us. Both my parents, being humble teachers needed their own transport to work. Even my dad rode an old, smoking motorbike to work. Times back then were hard for my parents, and my mum too has to take up the task of sending my siblings to school and then herself to work. Mii being the eldest had to be held responsible in helping to ease up my mum's tension, and hence, I sent myself to school. I was only 13 at that time, so naive, so playful.
The school bus was the main transport, and due to my class in the afternoon session, I had to wait for it every hot afternoon for the bus. My shirt drenched wet down to them trousers everytime I reached my class. There were times I even had to change again at school as the weather was all too hot. I was quite chubby that time, so sweating has always been my symptom when it comes to days like these. I could still remember those days when I even prayed for the sky to turn cloudy and rain to start pouring. Things were just as it is back then, and luckily I never learnt to complain.
The school bus was the main transport, and due to my class in the afternoon session, I had to wait for it every hot afternoon for the bus. My shirt drenched wet down to them trousers everytime I reached my class. There were times I even had to change again at school as the weather was all too hot. I was quite chubby that time, so sweating has always been my symptom when it comes to days like these. I could still remember those days when I even prayed for the sky to turn cloudy and rain to start pouring. Things were just as it is back then, and luckily I never learnt to complain.
But what mattered most was when the school bell rang for the last time of the day. It was then I had to walk back from school, rain or shine. My dad was then still busy with his work, my mum with her household chores and she couldn't just leave my siblings at home just to get mii right? They were just too young and febrile. So, perseverance was the only way back for mii, the momentum that kept mii going and going. If I was lucky, I managed to catch a city bus back, if not it was about a 9km walk for mii. I still remembered how much I envy those of my friends who had their parents come in cars to get them, how I envied them getting to and from school without having to be soaked wet, how I envied them looking out of a car window with so little worries on their mind.
For mii, it was a time to worry on how I get home unscathed, how do I get home without being sick if it rains, how will I even make it home if it pours heavily, or how do I get home before the night comes to pay a visit. It was then I started to feel annoyed, annoyed at the fact that my parents couldn't come to get mii from school. I was a handful that time, unable to understand my mum's predicament, and I even had a few quarrels with her. There was a point that I even thought my mum didn't love mii, and that shows how rebellious I was back then.
One day, it started to rain so heavily and that day itself, I had to get home as soon as possible to finish up all my school work. So I ran through the rain and I was soaked head to toe when I finally got home. My books were all soaked wet as well, and you could never find a dry place on mii. My mum saw the state I was in and asked mii to get a warm shower immediately. When I got out of the bathroom, I saw my mum setting down each and every of my books under the fan to make them dry. And then, she went to the kitchen, made a cup of hot Nestle Milo, hugged mii and told mii that she loved mii with all her heart, no matter what happens, forever. I could see tears lingering at the corner of her eyes, and that's when I knew, I had a mother who loved mii ever since the day I was brought to this world.
Sipping up that warm hot Milo, I was touched, certainly happy that I've got such a mother who cares so much for mii. It was more than cars, it was more than money, it was the bond between mii and my mum that set everything in place to a bright future for mii. My love towards my mum grew stronger by a lot that very day.
The same routine played through again for another year, and soon when my family was able to buy themselves another car, only then did I stop taking walks back from school. I still do sometimes walk back from school, because to mii, from those walks, I learnt to understand my mum's care and love for each and every one of us siblings. Years have passed by now, and with her blessing, I am currently finishing my 2nd year in college as a medical student. My love towards my mum never changed, in fact it grew stronger and stronger each day. I am really really grateful to have such a mother, and for that memory, that specific moment, that was a moment, a turning point in my life, locked up in my memory forever....
I love you mum, you are and always will be the best in my heart.... ^-^
This story is dedicated to my loving mother, Yong Pek Hoon for all her dedication, love and care in bringing us 5 siblings up. We all love you mum and Happy Mother's Day! Sorry for all the wrong doings and misunderstandings, we know you meant us the best....
This story was also selected by Nestle Malaysia as the Best Story Written and also the Winner Of The Month, February 2012 in occasion of Nestle 100 Years Celebration Competition. The story was won based on the synopsis of:
Love and warmth, tasted like never before...
Back in those days, travelling back from school has never failed to trouble me. I had to walk back from school, rain or shine. My mum was busy with her work then, so perseverance was the only momentum for me. One day, it started to rain so heavily, and I came back soaked from head to toe. My mum too returned, and saw the state I was in. With tears in her eyes, she made a cup of Milo, hugged me and told me she loved me forever. That's a moment in my life, locked up in my memory forever!
Thx once again to Nestle Malaysia.
Signing off,
Nickel Low Chen Jie
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