Happy Mother's Day

I'm not a country song lover (although I must say some of the songs are pretty good albeit being extremely melodramatic and corny) and have never heard this song until last year. The first time I heard it, it brought tears to my eyes especially the part where Tammy Wynette sang "For the nine months I carried you, growing inside of me, no charge..."

And so one day when all three kids were in the car (Yi back on hols then), I hushed them up and played this song. I think they felt moved too, almost to tears too I suspect, so when the song was over, they tried to cover their feelings by bursting out laughing and mocking. Yi sang with a cry in her voice,"Paid in full!!" , throwing her hands out dramatically at me, which made her brothers roared and heehawed. To get back at them, I played the song non-stop until we got home.

I know it sounds corny but songs put to words so well what we as mothers (and children) feel as we travel the difficult road of parenthood (how's that for corny). There's a classic Chinese song that is titled "In The World, Only Mothers Are Good". So here are the two songs, get your tissues out, and remember to tell your mom you love her this Mother's Day.

To all mothers, long-suffering or not, Happy Mother's Day!

Word for word translation:

In the world, only mothers are good

A child with a mother is like a piece of jewel

In mama's embrace, happiness is beyond imagination

In the world, only mothers are good

A child without a mother is like a blade of grass

Without mama's embrace, where's happiness

In the world, only mothers are good

A child with a mother is like a piece of jewel

In mama's embrace, the child will smile even when he dreams/sleeps