“A mother’s love for her child is like nothing else in the world. It knows no law, no pity. It dares all things and crushes down remorselessly all that stands in its path.”-Agatha Christie
Dear Mum,
Mum, Happy Mother’s Day! Standing here with you today feels like a miracle I treasure with all my heart. When we faced the shadow of your cancer diagnosis in 2024, there were moments when the weight of fear felt insurmountable, as if I were watching my world slowly dim. Yet, seeing your spirit flicker and then roar back to life has been the greatest inspiration of my life.
We didn’t just survive that chapter; we reclaimed our strength together, fueled by a courage I only truly understood because I saw it first in you. You are a courageous woman who never gives up.
The day we wept together is etched into my soul—not as a memory of weakness, but as a testament to our bond. I remember how fragile you felt in my arms as I carried you to bed, and the honest conversation we shared about life and its end. You were so tired, Mum, pushed to the very edge of your endurance. But you didn’t give up. Your resilience became the light that guided us out of that darkness, leaving us more profoundly connected than ever before.
My heart overflows with gratitude when I think of the life you built for me. You were only twenty-six—a young woman left to navigate the world alone with four children after Father passed. In the face of a community that whispered cruel things, calling me a burden or a sign of misfortune, you stood like an unshakable fortress. You chose love over convenience and sacrifice over escape. Every stitch you made as a seamstress was a silent prayer for our future, and every meal you provided was a gift of your own tireless labour. You didn’t just raise us; you protected our dignity with your own even when you had a chance just to walk away.
That lawyer’s letter you showed me when I was ten wasn’t just a piece of paper; it was a revelation. It taught me that education was our shield against a world that might otherwise look down on us. That spark ignited a fire in me to become a man worthy of your sacrifices. I look back at my childhood and see only the warmth of the love you poured into me, a love so steady that it allowed me to dream far beyond our small kampung. You were the only one who never doubted that I could become someone worthy.
Mum, I am sorry. I carry a deep regret for the years I was too young to see the depth of your struggle and our family financial struggle. During my Form 5 year, while you were working late into the night as both a seamstress and a babysitter, I met your exhaustion with teenage rebellion and anger. I was so disappointed with the constant baby crying at night that disturbed my study.
I am so sorry for the times my own frustrations blinded me to your incredible grace. My defiance continued even after my SPM exams; I purposely grew my hair long while working at the factory just to irritate you, using it as a way to vent my own frustrations from that difficult year.
Even when I purposely tried to test your patience, your love remained the one constant I could always return to, even when I didn’t deserve it.
As a doctor, I have learned to heal others, but you are the one who taught me the true meaning of compassion. It was a painful realization to see that I could offer patience to strangers while losing my temper with the person whom I care most and who gave me everything.
I remember with shame the times I wasn’t there when you were suffering, like the night your fever spiked while you waited for me. Yet, your response was always forgiveness. You have taught me that being a healer starts with the heart, and I am still learning to be as kind as you have always been to me.
I still remember the feeling of your hand holding mine as we waited for the kindergarten bus, keeping me safe from the world. Now, Mum, the roles have shifted, but the love remains the same. I am the one holding your hand tightly now. As we navigate treatments and hospital halls, I promise to be your strength, your listener, and your most devoted companion. This path may be difficult, but you will never walk it alone. We will face every challenge side by side, just as we always have.
Thank you, Mum, for your unconditional love, your unwavering trust, and for believing in me when the world was silent and walked away from me. I am the luckiest son to have you as my mother, and I promise to be by your side, honoring our bond, until the very end and beyond.
I love you.
Your Son
