Consolation prizes - Virtue of A Mother: A Side Story

Name : Eddick Cheah tat Dick

No Matric : 126127

Title of Essay : Virtue of A Mother: A Side Story

My name is Eddick. My full name would be written as Eddick Cheah Tat Dick. I vividly remember how I was teased for having such a name. After all, the word “Dick” represents something unusual. I hate it and I would complain to my mother whenever I have the chance to do so. It was a name my mother fondly took over from her favourite novel. Nevertheless, I grew up liking my name instead. I was always treated specially from friends and teachers alike for the name that I have. Even now, at the age of 23, I still feel it and I am glad mother gave me such a wonderful name. I was born to a family of 5 and I am of Chinese and Siamese descent. My father is Penangites while my mother is a Kedahan. On how they meet and got married is a little bit complicated but I am really happy to be in the family. I have an elder brother who will always bully me whenever he wants to. I learnt to hate him when I am small. In the end, I just realized how much he loves me and his bullies antique was actually meant to be a brotherhood bonding. Well, I guess my brother is not very good at expressing himself. Meanwhile, my younger sister is the one who always have pillow talk with me besides my mother. Whenever I am sad, she will always try her best to cheer me up although she doesn’t know why I am down. I love her dearly and I will always do. The old “me” was always taking things for granted and never been serious in life but not until an advent finally change my life.

At the age of 13, one wouldn’t expect to experience such circumstances. My mum cheated death like almost every day. This advent took place like no one business. I have been told of mum health conditions were deteriorating. Back then, mum has to take care of us three siblings. She does all daily household chores from washing the plates, mopping the floor, washing the clothes, folding the clothes, cooking our meal, babysitting kids to earn an income, fetching us to and from school, listen to our complain, educating us BUT never we heard a single grouse nor sigh from her. Yet her chores never stop piling up and often, she has to work until the wee hours of the morning while all of us are sleeping soundly. Whenever my mother is having difficulties to breathe, and when her ailment is taking a toll on her, or when GOD has called for her return, all I did was prayed, cried and I cried, not knowing what to do, I told mother that I would study as hard as I could, I promise that I would be a useful person, so mama please be happy and don’t leave me. I saw mother’s tears coursing down her cheek. This experience shapes my life. Whenever I am away from home I will be worrying about her instead. If my memory serves me right, I was always away from home for camping as a junior scout. Whenever I go, whatever I do, my priority is my mother. One would find it funny enough for a guy to spout “mother this, mother that” but this is me, myself and I. My mother loved me dearly, she cared for me so much, and so much that I constantly think of her. And I did remember I cried in secondary school. The reason is because I did not do well enough. I am afraid mother will be sad. And today mother still cared for me no matter how big and independent I am, as for her, I will always be her small little boy that she loves without any condition. It was due to mother that I am what I am today. During that point of life, I learned how to care for others, I knew that I need to study hard, and I also learned that family love is incomparable. Rather, my family hardship made me realise these important things.

I do not have any ambitions in particular and if you were to ask why I bother to study and ended up here at the university? Of course, it was for my mother sake. Actually, I dislike studying and prefer playing all day long. But the said advent changed me and I willed myself to study so that my mother would be happy. I would go to any extent just to relieve my mother of any worries and to please her. Nevertheless, I actually grew up loving to study. Maybe the Malay idioms saying “Melentur buluh, Biarlah dari rebungnya” was correct after all. And I even ended up here at the Northern University of Malaysia. I thought “I hit two birds with one stone”. Why not? I partially got my future secured and I also made my mother and family proud at the same time. It was during this period that my mother health gradually made improvement. Mother at one time did ask me to pursue what I believe and need not worry about her. But I am just thinking of getting a good piece of job to support my family. Well it coincides as this is my wish as well. I guess there is no one out there who wouldn’t wish for that.

If I have got the chance to recreate my future, I would want to be a doctor. I wish I can heal my mother illness with my abilities. Besides, the pay is rather good. With this, I can save up a lot of money and do many things. There is a saying that “money isn’t anything in this world” but for me who had suffered from poverty, I think otherwise. The first thing that I wish to do is to bring my mother to a dermatologist for a freckle treatment. My mother is actually a beautiful woman but she doesn’t even have the time to actually worry about her own look. It was because she was constantly under the exposure of sunlight when she is busily fetching us to and from school every day. I always shed tears whenever I think of mother wellbeing. We only had little money left after paying for tuition fees and barely have enough money to buy food. My mother didn’t even mention about buying any facial cream. We all know that she is very sad but, alas she gave us good education and good food while she sacrificed herself for her beloved kids. Tears are coursing down my cheek while I am writing this, yet I need to continue. The second thing I wish to do is to travel around the world with mother. I bet travelling will do a lot of good in cheering her up and to let her forget about the hardship that she had endured for decades. Unfortunately I am no doctor but even that, I wish I can secure a good job with my education so that I can fulfill my responsibility as a filial son. And I asked GOD and prayed for His or Her kindness that my wish can be fulfilled and granted.

If I could ever turn back the time, or even stop the time, I would have stayed by my mother side all day long, helping her out with her daily chores. I really miss her very much even as I am writing this piece of essay. I apologized if I had strayed out from the topic but I am glad I had the opportunity to write this essay intended for my beloved mother.