I’D LIKE TO THANK MY MOTHER…
To be our calm, our light, our rock
To be gentle hands and words of wisdom
To be beauty, to be love
To be the reason that we are.
It hasn’t been the 2020 anyone saw coming. A global pandemic wasn’t how the story of a new decade was supposed to begin. But it came, and it was. A diamond, they say, is a piece of coal that never gave up. Like a diamond, we will emerge from a tough place as tougher people, as the best and strongest versions of ourselves, because we persisted and did the best we could in a bad situation.
Life gives us lemons to teach us how to make lemonade. One lesson we’ve had to learn — quickly — is to always find the positive, to look for stars when it is dark, to be grateful for what we have rather than bemoan what we’ve lost. Gratitude and resilience, we have a feeling, are how we will survive and triumph in the end.
Mother’s Day is in two days. Without a doubt, mum is one of a handful of people in our lives, if not The One, for whom we are most grateful now. In all likelihood, she is the strongest, toughest person you know, who has bestowed upon you those very traits, among others, for survival, for success and for the person you’re proud to have become.
What are you most grateful to have inherited from your mother? What do you especially want to thank her for this year?
Phuay Li Ying
Founder & Designer, Ying The Label
“‘Your family will always stand by you.’ This is a value my mother holds close to her heart, and I grew up with it almost as a mantra. Words cannot describe how important this has been for my family — the impact of it can only be felt with the heart. All my life, my family has always stood by me, supported me in my decisions, and offered me wisdom especially when I needed them the most. Until today, we make the effort to have family meals together as often as possible. We don’t talk much about work, instead, we tell each other stories of our days and lives. I learned from my mum to never bear a grudge towards family despite arguments and disagreements. Every night, I still say ‘I love you’ to her, not out of habit — I always mean it from the bottom of my heart. This is definitely something I want to thank my mother for.”
Winnie Chan
Co-founder & CEO, Bynd Artisan
“I have my mum to thank for her sense of style and love of fashion, which is definitely a passion I have inherited from her. I look up to her for her kindness and compassion, her ability to see the good in every individual and make friends from all walks of life. These are the biggest attributes I admire about her, and they are what I constantly work towards.”
Lum May Yee
Director of Marketing, The Canary Diamond Co
“My mother taught me to be strong and resilient in the face of adversity. She taught me to never give up on myself, and to always do my best.”
Edith Lee
Founder, Capsule by Edith
“From my mum I inherited an aptitude for numbers. I believe that has stood me in good stead from learning to manage my first pay check to being financially independent.”
Photographs: Courtesy of interviewees