Mother's day 2013 - An inspiring true story

 

The man who sacrificed the love of his life for his mother

On this Mother’s day I like to share true story of a gentleman whom I came across recently in an old folk’s home.

Mr.Tan is a 57year old gentleman who hails from Kedah and now residing in an old folk’s home in Penang. His father died when he was 3 years old and since then he was brought up by his single mother under very difficult conditions. She had to slog day and night to support him and his 6 other siblings.

When he was in his twenties he fell in love with a girl from a different race and religion and wanted to marry her. His mother, being a traditionalist, did not approve of their marriage despite all his pleas and justifications. Finally knowing that his mother would be heart-broken and he did want to hurt her after all she had done for him, he decided not to get married yet, but wait until her mother approved or she was not around anymore. He waited and years passed but his mother did not change her mind. She lived to a ripe old age of 94 years.By the time she died he was already in his fifties and himself inflicted with the complications of diabetes which led to both his legs being amputated one after the other.

He lost both his lower limbs when he was in his late forties when his mother was still alive. As she herself was too old to look after him she sent him to the old folk’s home where is staying since then. When the mother was still alive she would visit him often and when she became too old she would persuade her other children to visit him. After her death some years back, his siblings stopped visiting him and now he is all alone in the home. The only visitors he has are the occasional kind-hearted people who come visiting to give food and spend some time listening to his story.

Talking to him one would realize that he does not bear any grudge or anger with his late mother and his siblings for the state he is in now. It does not curse and swear that God had forsaken him. Instead he seems to have accepted his fate and looks contented waiting to be reunited with his mother whom loved so much to even sacrifice his life in order not to hurt her. That was the gratitude he had for his late mother which he treasures even till today.

He now at  a relatively young age, he sits in an old folk’s home, lonely and handicapped without both legs. Even his own siblings, who are doing well in life, have deserted him. He is now hoping for people like you and I to be generous enough to spare a little of our precious time for him, to overcome the fear of loneliness and hopelessness. The big question for you and I now is to ask ourselves whether we have the time for him.

This story is about a man to went to the extreme to show the love for his mother. He sacrificed his life just not to hurt her, after all she had done for him. It may appear rather stupid that the he could go to that extent but in his eyes it was the right thing to do and he has no regrets at what he did.

We all say we love our mother but to what extent are we willing to go to demonstrate that love? Let’s take a lesson from Mr. Tan on this Mother’s day.