My Mother

 The term “mother” is also used to denote a female parent, motherless child with no biological parent. Most people who use the term mom can be referring to both female and male parents of children under 18 years old and a child whose mother has abandoned him/her. In this case, it implies that they are in need of help or guidance in their lives. To most mothers, it means that their child needs them because they are not living up to their full potential(Bracewell 1). It is not about money but their love and care for their child.

The word “motherhood” is used to denote the time when a person became a mother and her role as a mother. There are different types of definitions of what a woman is. A common definition is one who becomes a mother when she gets married. Another meaning entails being a wife when she gives birth to a baby or when he is conceived (Bracewell 2). When you become a mother, you start giving your life to another human being. This is not only related to being born but also to taking care of a new born. For example, if my child was conceived and I was married to him at first place then I will give birth to him in addition to caring for him all along.

A mother can be defined as someone who has nurtured and raised an unborn child as well as a father. Some other people who describe themselves as mothers include religious leaders, family members, as well as friends. For instance, some friends may call themselves moms, while others may call themselves grandmothers(Bracewell 3). A maternal instinct means “an unformed sense of affection towards the infant child’. On the outside, it may seem like a protective behavior to protect the child from danger and harm. However, a paternal instinct is when we act out of love for our own child.

In addition, the relationship between my mother and my father was very complicated since my mother had to make sacrifices. Her sacrifice meant that she gave up her husband and infant son for my father. These sacrifice made me become more maternal while growing up since I came from a humble background. As I grew up I realized that mothers are important in every area of life that goes. They can be found in all spheres.

My mother did everything possible to raise my brother and sister since he fell under the age of 14 months. She always took care of her son so much that I believe she treated him like a toddler. I can say that she did everything for us and gave us all equal rights. The sacrifice we received was great and a lot of knowledge was acquired in our early childhood(Bracewell 4). We have gone through many struggles together since we were young but she still never left us(Bracewell 4). What made my mother do all these sacrifices was a desire to help me, the younger sibling.

My mother was born into a poor family but turned out to be strong through her own hands. She was born as an elder daughter who lived in a small town, where there was one girl and two brothers. The house she lived in was a shack, with very few resources. It may sound strange but the circumstances that my mother was born in is why she managed to raise three kids by herself. I would say that having three siblings was challenging enough, however, she never complained about the difficulties but rather embraced each day as another chance to turn around from bad things.

My father died when I was just 14 months old. He was a truck driver and a father to one and a half kids(Bracewell 5). At first, I was scared of him, due to him being dark skinned and having an evil spirit. His death affected his children greatly and made them sad. Despite the challenges, I never forgot him. I was determined that we would survive and live with him forever. Although he was a failure, I knew that he loved me (Bracewell 6). This was a big achievement since he had abandoned me, so the same thing to do is give him back. By making sacrifices, I thought maybe he would have been happy(Bracewell 6).

I did so much to ensure that I got myself to my knees. At the moment, I am struggling and facing the toughest part of finding my place in society. So much so that I might not get any jobs since that moment; I am thinking of suicide. This is the biggest sacrifice I will ever take and if I get my strength back then it is possible I may end up dead(Bracewell 8). Unfortunately, after all my family members gave themselves to God, my father, and me then came a night in my dreams. In a dream, I saw him standing next to me to encourage and comfort me but unfortunately he died before my eyes(Bracewell 9). I felt alone and lost, but I could not imagine that my family member was going to die at such a tender age. After my father died, my mother told me, “God loves you and would want you and your siblings to follow in his footsteps (Bracewell 10). Knowing this, I have to be content with whatever happens to me now(Bracewell 11).

After the loss of my father, we went through rough times. Due to financial constraints, he had to spend a month in hospital. During this time he was ill, with a fever, cough, and pneumonia, which was later on diagnosed to be tuberculosis(Bracewell 12). We never knew if it was cancer, the disease that causes tuberculosis. From that time I started to develop depression and fatigue and could barely attend school due to constant headaches(Bracewell 13). Having lived an unhappy life with my little brother and sister, I could not understand where I was going to go if we went through the worst of times. How could my mother take a step back and think of her children? I saw her not even thinking of what she was doing.

I wanted to leave them, so I could look for something better, but she was adamant to keep us going(Bracewell 15). If I was given the chance, all I could think was how she was suffering and worried with my brother. Instead of being depressed, I decided to study hard so that I could find ways to support my family. I worked hard to complete college because she insisted that I should go so that I can become successful in social activities. Having gained enough knowledge, I was ready to face the future and try my best to help my friends as well as my family(Bracewell 17). I know that one day I will be proud of what I have done and make a mark in the world.

In conclusion, the term mother has two levels, basic and compound. A basic level refers to the child who is biologically dependent on a mother. Compounds refer to adult women who are either the mother or a daughter or an aunt(Bracewell 21). Both mother and daughter have different roles and responsibilities but they go hand in hand in everything they do(Bracewell 22). Many people view mothers to be weak and helpless. However, there are some who are assertive, mature enough to handle the situation. Their character does not change as compared to those of their children.

Bibliography

Bracewell, Linda. Moms, Midwives, & Nurses: A Short Introduction to Women's Work for Children. London: Blackwell Publishers Ltd., 2000.