Tribute to a Mother for Mother’s Day
It is wonderful that there is a day to celebrate and honour mothers and motherhood. In Canada, Mother’s Day falls on May 8, 2016 this year. Don’t forget to thank your mother and show gratitude for all she has done for you and seek her blessings for many more well wishes for your future.
There is a lot I can say about my mother, Jaspal Kaur Sangha. Sometimes I feel sad that my mother sacrificed so much to raise me and my two brothers. My mother left my father in the 70’s when it was still very much a cultural taboo for a South Asian women to leave her husband. She could not speak English well, and she had no formal education in Canada. She had little money and no job. How was she going to survive and provide for her children? Fortunately my mother had the support of her brothers and her parents, as well as faith in God. My Manji would work in the farms and send money to my mom from England. After a period of struggle my mother updgraded her English and completed the Health Care Assistant program at Douglas College. She worked as a nurse’s aide at Fraser Health Authority for over twenty years to provide for her children.
During her life journey, my mother had to deal with mental illness in the family, she herself managed to survive breast cancer, and she even supported and stood by her son when he publically came out as gay and founded an organization, Sher Vancouver, to help and support other South Asian men and women who were dealing with coming out, sexuality, and gender issues.
The good news is today my mother is an independent successful women. She is retired and a member of the Indo-Canadian, Kennedy, and Fleetwood Seniors Centre and enjoying her life with her friends and fellow seniors. She has travelled to Hawaii, Fiji, Austrailia, New Zealand, and also gone on a boat cruise with her friends. She has also volunteered reading the holy scripture at the Sikh Temple for peace, seva or selfless service, and devotion to her faith.
Her three children are all grown up, hard-working citizens, and successful in their own fields. The eldest son is a certified personal trainer and upgrading his education to be a bylaw enforcement officer. The middle son is a registered clinical social worker and instructor and has a double Masters degree. The youngest has an MBA and Law degree and is a corporate executive in Toronto. Best of all, my mother has three beautiful grandchildren who are all healthy and bring a lot of joy to her life.
Below is advice direct from my mom to all the women and mothers out there.
- My advice to other women, especially single mothers, is to be positive. If you think you can accomplish something then you can.
- My faith and courage helped me overcome many challenges. I have read the Guru Granth Sahib from beginning to end many times for spiritual support and guidance.
I feel there is no exact answer to why difficult things happen to people but when they arrive you must face it to the best of your ability. - I am really grateful to my mother and my family for their support. My mother said to me when I needed to leave my husband that if we raised you with equal rights then if the sons can stay with us then the daughter can stay with us to.
- Believe in yourself and get up and talk to your neighbours and friends and ask for support. Many people will help you. There are good people in this world.
- In terms of raising children, my advice is that actions speak louder than words. I live my life the way I want my children to live their lives. To be honest, hardworking, caring, and courageous in the face of adversity.
- Remember no one can do anything for you if you are not willing to first help yourself.
- Give yourself the opportunity to show the world what you can do.”
Well said mom! Happy Mother’s Day to you and to all the wonderful moms in the world.
Alex Sangha is an award winning author and social worker based in Surrey, B.C. For more information on Alex check out http://alexsangha.com. His mother, Jaspal Kaur Sangha, is the recipient of the Shakti Award of Excellence for Resilience for 2016. For more information on the Shakti Society check out shaktisociety.com
Alex Sangha MSc, MSW, is an award winning author and social worker based in Surrey, BC.
