One of my dream was to retire my parents from their job. I always remembered that they've sacrifice their own dream just to ensure that our stomach is filled and we have a shelter above our head.
I still remember that during 1997 Asian Financial Crisis.. My dad loses his job as an operation manager. We were in financial trouble because my dad's salary was the only income source we had, he was unemployed for 6 month before he got his new job.
During this period we face a very difficult time because we do not have enough savings to sustain our lifestyle. Everyday we lived in fear wonder if we can make it till month end.. And it was during this difficult time, my mom step up.
She took up 2 jobs to help ease our financial burden . She work as a seamstress during the day and she become a dish washer during the night. It was not easy for my mom because the restaurant where she work is very near to our house. Meaning she was sitting there washing dishes for 5 hours while her friends and neighbor start gossiping about how my mom from house wife become a low wage worker. She would come home and cry because her friend teased her badly on her work place and the road where she walked home was very dark she might be rob if there's thief hanging around.
It is so stressful , tiring and dangerous to work outside. Yet she never complain a single word to us, she work and work and work in silent until she quit her job once my dad found a job after 6 month. From there I realize how much my mum love us, her love for us is so great that's why she's able to tolerate all the hardship she faced.
So recently I'm thinking what can I do for her. I then realized that I've retired my mum for a year, she's not working for people anymore since last year! That's what I've been wanted to do for so long yet I'm so dumb I didn't realize it at all! How silly is that? I mean.. It's really a wake up call for me to start paying attention to things that matter the most to me.
What I didn't expect is that when I shared my thought with my brother Shaun Ng.. I was shocked that he suddenly breakdown in tears over the phone and he agreed with my thought. We end up crying together OMG. Therefore I wanna share my story with all my friend not to show off but to remind ourselves that we won't know how fortunate we are until we start counting our blessings in life. I hope you have a happy mother's day!
My mom and dad during her birthday =)
