my mother (part II)
i think i've inherited my artistic flair from my mother. my mother does chinese calligraphy and chinese painting, and i must say that she's pretty good at it. she started lessons maybe 6 or 7 years ago, and has since converted the many walls of our home into her private gallery. i remember she once told me that she realised one day that her paintings seldom feature bright colours. she said that maybe it's a reflection of how she feels. it was like a giant stab in the heart when she said that. there are some things that i can help to change, but some things just can't be changed.
despite the dark clouds in my mother's heart, she's always been the life of the party amongst her friends-- the one with the witty repartee, naughty jibes and quick thinking. as long as my mother is at a party, then there'll always be no shortage of laughter there. she used to tell me all the nicknames she's cooked up for her teachers in school, as well as her friends. my mother is really quite the joker! she's well-loved and well respected, not only because she's a joy to be with, but also because she's truly a friend that one can depend on. my mother would be the one sending her friend to the doctor's when she's ill, the one her friends would call in the middle of the night if there's any trouble, the one who would just go that extra ten miles just for a friend. and she does this willingly, and without an expectation of reward or return. i don't think i know anyone else like that.
recently, when my biological grandmother passed away, a lot of truth has come to light, and for that, i'm really glad for my mother. one of her sisters, aunt j, used to be a fruit wholesaler in the late 80's. she did well, and was a very wealthy lady. but then that was not to last for long-- her business went down, and not soon after, she was declared bankrupt. before this happened, she handed my mother some money for safekeeping. the money was meant for my cousins' school fees and such. this sum of money was depleted after a while, with my cousin going for her diploma and needing money to buy books and such. and one day, when aunt j asked my mother for her money, my mother told her that there wasn't anymore. aunt j was very very upset and through the years, harboured the misconception that my mother kept the money for herself. she did not know her sister well indeed. at my grandmother's funeral, my mother and her siblings got into a heated debate, and somehow, the truth was spilled. when the money that aunt j left with my mother went dry, my mother still continued to give my cousin money for her school fees, and even pocket money. in short, my mother paid for my cousin's education and supported her through those few years when she was studying for her diploma. but my mother didn't broadcast this. she did it silently, and willingly. she didn't want my cousin's future to be in jeopardy because of her parents' financial ruin. when aunt j found out, she was so broken and sorry-- she had mistook her sister's love for selfishness all these years. and my mother was relieved that the truth has finally come to light. she thought that my cousin knew the source of the money all along, and was very puzzled by the attitude shown by aunt j, and the nonchalance of my cousin, who showed nary a bit of gratitude to my mother. but even when my mother suspected that there was a misunderstanding, she wasn't one to go declaring what she had done for her, and the injustice that she has suffered.
amazing, isn't she?
despite the dark clouds in my mother's heart, she's always been the life of the party amongst her friends-- the one with the witty repartee, naughty jibes and quick thinking. as long as my mother is at a party, then there'll always be no shortage of laughter there. she used to tell me all the nicknames she's cooked up for her teachers in school, as well as her friends. my mother is really quite the joker! she's well-loved and well respected, not only because she's a joy to be with, but also because she's truly a friend that one can depend on. my mother would be the one sending her friend to the doctor's when she's ill, the one her friends would call in the middle of the night if there's any trouble, the one who would just go that extra ten miles just for a friend. and she does this willingly, and without an expectation of reward or return. i don't think i know anyone else like that.
recently, when my biological grandmother passed away, a lot of truth has come to light, and for that, i'm really glad for my mother. one of her sisters, aunt j, used to be a fruit wholesaler in the late 80's. she did well, and was a very wealthy lady. but then that was not to last for long-- her business went down, and not soon after, she was declared bankrupt. before this happened, she handed my mother some money for safekeeping. the money was meant for my cousins' school fees and such. this sum of money was depleted after a while, with my cousin going for her diploma and needing money to buy books and such. and one day, when aunt j asked my mother for her money, my mother told her that there wasn't anymore. aunt j was very very upset and through the years, harboured the misconception that my mother kept the money for herself. she did not know her sister well indeed. at my grandmother's funeral, my mother and her siblings got into a heated debate, and somehow, the truth was spilled. when the money that aunt j left with my mother went dry, my mother still continued to give my cousin money for her school fees, and even pocket money. in short, my mother paid for my cousin's education and supported her through those few years when she was studying for her diploma. but my mother didn't broadcast this. she did it silently, and willingly. she didn't want my cousin's future to be in jeopardy because of her parents' financial ruin. when aunt j found out, she was so broken and sorry-- she had mistook her sister's love for selfishness all these years. and my mother was relieved that the truth has finally come to light. she thought that my cousin knew the source of the money all along, and was very puzzled by the attitude shown by aunt j, and the nonchalance of my cousin, who showed nary a bit of gratitude to my mother. but even when my mother suspected that there was a misunderstanding, she wasn't one to go declaring what she had done for her, and the injustice that she has suffered.
amazing, isn't she?
posted by insomnious at 6:38 PM
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