A Very Different Mother’s Day

What is happy about this Mother’s Day? I can almost hear someone asking.

Healing the wounds of our broken earth
We are one global family

Lyrics “What More Can I Give”
(Michael Jackson feat. various artists)

The world is being ravaged.

Nothing seems to get said or done without the word ‘Coronavirus’ taking center stage. A new and terrifying preoccupation.

To many, life has come into sharp focus. Self-reflection has become real indeed; what needs to be done now seems to require haste, unfortunately with everything going on lock down it is almost as if we have lost time. What if we do not have the opportunity to do what needs to be done tomorrow? What are we doing today? Are some of us even awake yet?

Life, as we know it, has taken a new and dramatic turn. Everything that we think we know, and believe in now requires deeper reflection. Existing systems now seems inadequate and feeble looking — stretched to the limits. Still each day brings with it more challenges. The world hangs in the balance.

Amidst the scary and rapidly climbing data on the effect of the virus, there is a tendency to focus only on the negative to the detriment of some snippets of good news. The negative can always suck the life out of anything. But we do not have to let it.

lay down our fears and reach out and make a pact
Show him the love that is in our hearts let us bring salvation back
Just sending your love has the power to heal
So let’s all give

Lyrics “What More Can I Give”
(Michael Jackson feat. various artists)

The occasion of today’s Mother’s Day gives us an opportunity to do some remembering for good. To celebrate ALL the women who are actively involved in the fight against this virus: medical practitioners, professionals, experts in different fields, lone voices on the street and the average women who all, in different ways, push strategies on preventive measures or lend a hand in combating the virus. We do not forget those who grieve and mourn; having lost families in the pandemic. Today we give a conscious thought to countries that are burying the dead in droves; burials that related families cannot participate in; causing further heartbreaks -surely, the virus will not be the only cause of deaths by the time we are through this. We cannot but be our brother’s keeper, so we remember, and we pray for healing.
And operating behind the scene, the support system that allows these women to do what they do. Families who hold the hands of the bereaved, families who, as scary as it is, release wives, mothers and sisters to carry on their duty of caring for the sick as part of their daily and/or professional occupation.

This year’s Mother’s Day will undoubtedly go down as a dark day in history, but in remembering it as such, we can, by some positive contribution, add a silver lining. We can together, push the preventive measure messages, support the front liners, avoid contributing to and spreading panic, using our resources (time and money) educating people in immediate environment and sphere of influence, using social media for good. If we can hold those who are suffering in our thoughts and bosoms, we can bring them some measure of comfort. That is one way saying “Happy” Women’s Day on a day like this can make some sense.

To hold and conceal you
To love and to heal you
What more can I give?

Lyrics “What More Can I Give”
(Michael Jackson feat. various artists)

For those who are creatures of habit, and in order to maintain a semblance of normalcy because we should celebrate our Mothers, (not forgetting that they are more at risk for age reasons) let us connect virtually: Google Hangout, Skype, WhatsApp videos, voice notes, social media etc. We can introduce creative ways to socialize even as social-distancing and self-isolation is our new reality, without endangering one another.

Our world might be in pain today but it will awaken to a healed tomorrow. A different tomorrow, granted, but healed.

But what more can you give? What are you going to do?

Be free oh.