* My Mom *
It is generally believed that behind every successful man there is a woman who makes his success possible. My dad used to say that it was my mom who gave him the spirit of the dragon in battles and in life.
* A small farming village *
Let me start my mom’s story with the place where she was born and where she grew up to her teens. It was a small farming village, about a day’s driving distance from the world famous scenic city of ‘Kwei-Lin’ , renounced for its queer shaped mountains and jade blue streams. Just like the majestic beauty of the Canadian Rockies tailing off in the region of Banff which people called the ‘little Switzerland in Canada’ , the natural beauty of ‘Kwei-Lin’ tapers off here in the area around this small village which abounds in the charms and magic of mountains and streams.
It was also believed that In an environment of such peace and beauty, boys were born strong as rocks, and girls as attractive as the streams. My mom was one of those girls.
But my mom was not contented to be the little bird hopping from tree to tree in this village. She was born an audacious little eagle that flies, up high over hills and vales, exploring neighboring villages and towns. visiting relatives and friends. And that was how mom met dad, and how her vivacity and intelligence had won the hearts of dad and of his parents. She was married to Dad at the age of 16.
* A favorite and a welcome visitor *
In my dad’s family, mom was a favorite, and in dad’s village she was a welcome visitor to relatives and friends. She had a way of endearing herself to people she came to meet. Her cheerfulness and readiness to help was her key to open up almost very heart and every door to receive her everywhere she went.
* A lover of nature *
Mom was a lover of nature. She loves all trees and plants, flowers and butterflies, birds and fish – in fact she loved all the animate and inanimate objects of God’s creation. She talks even to rocks and plants. She says that if we listen carefully we can hear them talk and sing. She says that they understand us and share all our joy and tears. Such are glimpses of her many incredible deeds and beliefs.
* A honey bun for children *
Children flock to my mom like little bees to homey. She would tell them fairy tales and teach them to sing songs. She knew how to make very pretty toys with wood or bamboo, and from weeds and tree leaves. She gave them as presents to children who scored high grades in schools or who did something very sweet and praise-worthy. She had a way of wiping away their tears and making them smile again their great big smiles She was the honey bun to all of them. It was very touching to hear children greeting her so sweetly almost everywhere in the village.
* A mother of 21 kids *
Incredible ? Yes, mom had 21 kids – born of 3 mothers. In those days, a husband could have more than 1 wife and my dad had 3. ! It was not his lust for many wives. It was his mother’s idea that he should have 1 more wife to help in the daily household chores. So, while his mother was busy selecting a suitable girl for him, my dad’s fancy was caught by a girl whom he wanted to bring home as a second wife. So it came to pass that 2 girls were brought home at the same time, one selected by the mother and one picked by himself. So, instead of rejecting one of them, both were accepted by dad’s mother. Approval was also given by my mom who was given the final say. So that was the story of how my dad had 3 wives and how my mom had 21 kids – 9 by herself and 12 by the other 2 wives (concubines). Incredible as it might seem, all 21 kids looked to mom as the one mother we all loved and the one mother around whom we huddled and played. In another article written by me, published earlier titled ‘Ducks! ducks ! ducks !’, I wrote about my 21 brothers and sisters. We were a strange sight to the villagers of a quaint seaside village where we lived. When the family went out on a swimming trip and passed by the market place, we could see and hear the people there, pointing their fingers, and curiously counting , Papa duck ! Mama duck ! 1 2 3 and 4, ….. 9 10 11 and 12………18 19 20 and 21 ! Altogether 21 little ducklings ! Happily parading with waggling tails !
* She dares to dream and she has visions *
As a young girl, my mom had ideas, notions and daring dreams of her own – crossing countries to distant lands, or even putting on wings to fly off this planet to reach the moon and other planets in the outer space. She owed this attribute of visions probably to her father who was in the shipping trade, who made full use of the inexpensive water-ways – rivers and canals, lakes and open seas. Their ships brought cargoes, traders and travelers to all parts of China and even overseas to Malaysia, India and Indonesia. He believed in free trades and in unhampered exchange of cultures and beliefs. From him, my mom got her vision of stripping down all walls between nations, let there be only ‘One Nation under the Sun’ – One Nation of all races and creeds ! This notion coincides with the hopes and dreams of my dad. The dreams of a New China.