Who sat and watched my infant head,
When sleeping in my cradle bed,
And tears of sweet affection shed?
My Mother.
When pain and sickness made me cry,
Who gazed upon my heavy eye,
And wept for fear that I should die?
My Mother.
Who taught my infant lips to pray,
And love God’s holy book and day.
And walk in Wisdom’s pleasant way?
My Mother.
Ah, no! the thought I cannot bear;
And if God please my life to spare,
I hope I shall reward thy care,
My Mother.
When thou art feeble, old, and gray,..
My healthy arm shall be thy stay,
And I will soothe thy pains away,
My Mother.
Woman of Substance. Mommy. Momsi-001…My Mother
You rejected the feeble, old and gray. While you were yet in perfect health, rather than be feeble and gray or bedridden, you prayed that God will never let you become dependent on others to accomplish daily routines, to make us or anyone suffer in taking care of you. We said you will always be strong, don’t talk like that, but you loved us so.
If we were ever sick, you asked God to put the sickness on you instead;
If we were ever in pain, you asked God to place the pain on you instead;
If a question or thought of us dying ever surfaced, you prayed God should take you instead;
Your love for us was never questionable. And you extended the same love and generosity to even people you did not know. Se nno owo mkpo, you’d say…
You said it, and you lived it. Sometimes even to our chagrin. Yet in your jovial way, you’d pretend that we had won the argument, just before pouring out generosity to the next person that came your way.
You loved intentionally. Never failing to say “I love you”.
You were beautiful. You loved life. You loved God. You loved people. You loved cleanliness. Remember those days you’ll “spark” because we were watching TV all day and forgot to clean the toilet, or do the dishes lol. You’d threaten to break the TV for a thousandth time till we reminded you how many times you said it but never did. You laughed and said silly kids! Then gently teased us to do the chores?
You were simply the best, Momma. Jesus has told us He’d prepare a place for us after this life, so we know we shall meet again in Glory, not because everyone says it. But because you believed in Jesus our Lord, and we believe too. And we shall see again. If there is ever a choice, as people say another life, I will still choose you Mom – without any thought, question or blink. You were a mother of mothers, among mothers. Hope you know that is what I meant when I called you Momsi-001.
You were selfless. You told me in between lots of gist, to love my wife more than you (who says that?) – that I should not even make it a mistake. That – in your words, “see we don old, and before you know it, pheww! we don go. If you did not love your wife, then wetin you go do?” It was funny in your usual way. We all laughed. But I also knew you were right. You always were.
I miss calling you on the weekends, or you calling at work, just to hear my voice when I did not call. I cried starting to write a tribute for you Mom, I never thought it would be this soon, then I was laughing in the middle and crying at the end.
I miss you Mom. And will still do. Yet, I will not mourn hopelessly. Because Jesus said we will meet again in glory to part no more. We believe Him, and know it is true. This is the hope we all will have here.
Till then Momsi-001. I love you.
”You were simply the best, Momma.
Mfonobong EtonSon
