This year makes it the tenth year since my mother passed away. Oh it was such a terrible loss not just for me but for the entire family. I know it is natural for every child to praise his/her mother and adjudge them the best  amongst all but all the same I would say mine was all that and much more.

So I write this letter to my beloved, my sunshine, my heart, the centre of my universe.

I know I never got the chance to say this to you  in words even though you knew what my heart said always but I love you very much mum. I thought I’d always have you around me, see your pretty face where I got my handsomeness from, be blessed with your captivating smile and I remember those amazing set of teeth. You were an epitome of beauty, indeed you gave meaning to the phrase ‘black is beautiful’.

I remember those days when I used to be really stubborn and you would chastise me so much, I thought you hated me then, but I have long come to realize that it was indeed the greatest part of your love being displayed for those chastisement have made me who I am today.

You were always super patient, a virtue we took for cowardice and fear but it always turned out even then that you’d always win and get the best bargain leaving the impatient ones behind. I remember what you used to say whenever you were offended and cheated ‘everything they did I put on the palm of my left hand so I wouldn’t eat with it and forget’ for you taught me that even though we forgive we should not forget so we can avoid making the same mistakes ourselves.

Daddy moved around a lot due to the nature of his job, he did it all to fend for us but that meant seeing less of him but you were always there to guide and protect us. I know it’s difficult but I’ve always prayed to find a woman just like you for a wife. No woman would want to compete anyway for it almost is impossible to beat a man’s mother at anything.

What seems a herculean task for most women today was a piece of cake for you, raising five children without anyone of them deviating. You would’ve been a remarkable councilor were you alive today, showing others how it works.