Mother’s Day is celebrated in the Middle East on March 21st, which falls on the first day of spring.
I would like to offer this story to my mother in Lebanon, and to all mothers in the Levant:
So my mother entered my room and found me sitting on the chair, reading. She had brought me a cup of tea. She stood behind me and put her hands on my shoulders and asked me, ‘Who is the strongest person in the world?” So I answered, “I am”.
She went on to ask me again, “Who is the strongest person in the world?” I answered, “I am, mom”.
And for the third time she asks me about the strongest person in the world, and I responded with “I am, mama”.
I felt as if I had slightly irked my mother, and that she felt somewhat disappointed with my answer… she walked towards the door, stopped, turned around and asked me the question again, “Who is the strongest person in the world?” I said, “You are”.
She was taken aback, and asked, “Why would you answer me that you are the strongest person in the world when I asked you several times, yet now your answer differs?
I said, “That’s because you were standing by my back, with your hands on my shoulders, supporting me and protecting me, so I felt that I was the strongest…. But when you left me and walked, I felt that I had gone weaker since you were no longer supporting me and protecting me, and so you became the strongest”.
Oh mother, if you only knew how weak I feel today because you are so far away from me.
May your spirit embrace me and protect me on every Mother’s Day
I love you. Forgive me.