Eight Lies Of A Mother

The story began when I was a child. I was born as a son of a poor family. Even for eating, we often got lack of food. Whenever it the time for eating, my mother often gave me her portion of rice. While she was removing her rice into my bowl, she would say “Eat this rice, son. I’m not hungry”.

That was Mother’s First Lie.

When I was growing up, my persevering mother gave her spare time for fishing in a river near our house, she hoped that from the fish she got, she could give me a little bit of nutritious food for my growth.

After fishing, she would cook the fish to be a fresh fish soup, which raised my appetite. While I was eating the soup, mother would sit beside me and eat the rest meat of the fish, which was still on the bone of the fish I ate.

My heart was touched when I saw it. I then used my chopstick and gave the other fish to her. But she immediately refused it and said “Eat this fish, son. I don’t really like fish.”

That was Mother’s Second Lie.

Then, when I was in Junior High School, to fund my studies, my mother went to an economic enterprise to bring some used-matches boxes that would be stuck in.

It gave her some money to cover our needs. As the winter came, I woke up from my sleep and looked at my mother who was still awake, supported by a little candlelight, and within her perseverance, she continued the work of sticking some used-matches box. I said, “Mother, go to sleep, it’s late, tomorrow morning you still have to go for work.” Mother smiled and said “Go to sleep, dear. I’m not tired.”

That was Mother’s Third Lie.

At the time of the final term, my mother asked for a leave from her work to accompany me. While the daytime was coming and the heat of the sun was starting to shine, the strong and persevering mother waited for me under the heat of the sun’s shine for several hours.

As the bell rang, which indicated that the final exam had finished, Mother immediately welcomed me and poured me a glass of tea that she had prepared before in a cold bottle.

The very thick tea was not as thick as my mother’s love, which was much thicker. Seeing my mother covered with perspiration, I at once gave her my glass and asked her to drink too. Mother said, “Drink, son. I’m not thirsty!”.

That was Mother’s Fourth Lie.

After the death of my father because of illness, my poor mother had to play her role as a single parent. By holding on to her former job, she had to fund our needs alone.

Our family’s life was more complicated. No days without sufferance. Seeing our family’s condition getting worse, there was a nice uncle who lived near my house who came to help us, either with a big problem or a small problem.

Our other neighbors who lived next to us saw that our family’s life was so unfortunate, that they often advised my mother to marry again. But the stubborn mother didn’t care about their advice, she said “I don’t need love.”

That was Mother’s Fifth Lie.

After I had finished my studies and then got a job, it was time for my old mother to retire. But she didn’t want to; she was sincere enough to go to the marketplace every morning, just to sell some vegetables for fulfilling her needs.

I, who worked in the other city, often sent her some money to help her fulfill her needs, but she was stubborn in not accepting the money. She even sent the money back to me. She said, “I have enough money.”

That was Mother’s Sixth Lie.

After graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree, I then continued my studies for a Master’s Degree. I took the degree, which was funded by a company through a scholarship program, from a famous University in America. I finally worked in the company.

With a quite high salary, I intended to take my mother to enjoy her life in America. But my lovely mother didn’t want to bother her son, so she said to me “I’m not used to it.”

That was Mother’s Seventh Lie.

After entering her old age, her mother got flank cancer and had to be hospitalized. I, who lived miles away and across the ocean, directly went home to visit my dearest mother.

She lay down in weakness on her bed after having an operation. Mother, who looked so old, was staring at me in deep yearning. She tried to spread a smile on her face, even if it looked so stiff because of the disease she held out.

It was clear enough to see how the disease broke my mother’s body, thus she looked so weak and thin. I stared at my mother with tears flowing down my face. My heart was hurt, so hurt, seeing my mother in that condition. But Mother, with her strength, said “Don’t cry, my dear. I’m not in pain.”

That was Mother’s Eight Lie.

After saying her eighth lie, She closed her eyes forever!