Mothers, they are special. But, Caribbean mothers? They are extraordinary. My mother found time to go to work, cook, clean, raise three children, and still give the greatest advice (whether we appreciated it at the moment or not). Caribbean mothers are known for being their child's best friend, and their worst enemy. They don't joke around when it comes to disciplining their children, yet they are the first ones to be cracking jokes with them. Caribbean mothers are funny, strong, brave, resilient, leaders, lovers, teachers and so much more. Perhaps, the greatest thing about Caribbean mothers, especially mine, is the life lessons they teach you. Here are just four of the billions of valuable lessons my Caribbean mother has taught me.
Education
"Go learn yuh book." = Go start studying.
Caribbean mothers, especially my mother, do not take the matter of education lightly. In a society where education is more or less the only way to gain upward social mobility, one can see why. From a young age, I was instilled with the importance of education and why I must take it seriously. If I got 98% on a test, my mother would say, "That's great! Next time yuh betta try an' get 100%", to which I would always roll my eyes. Throughout my life, my mother has constantly made sure I did my absolute best, and for that I am grateful. Without her constant nagging, I would not be where I am today, and I am positive that the same thing can be said for many other people raised by a Caribbean mother.
Discipline
"Who doh hear, go feel." = Who does not listen will feel the consequences of their decisions.
Some days I feel like Caribbean mothers invented discipline. Everyone raised by a Caribbean mother knows that when they give you THAT look, you better humble yourself quickly and stop whatever foolishness you're doing. All they need is to give you that one look and you know how to exactly how to act. When you step out of line and say something rude, you'll be hit with the, "You feel iz one ah yuh lil' fren an dem?" Of course, as children, you never understood why your mother was so harsh on you, but as a young adult, you appreciate it. My mother's disciplinarian tactics have adequately prepared me for the adult world. I am able to stay on top of my school work, meet deadlines, attend classes and so on. These things may seem as mundane and simple as breathing but without my mother's discipline, I am not sure I would be as efficient as I am now. Discipline equals success.
Patience
"It have a day call tomorrow". = There is always tomorrow.
Whenever my mother came home from the supermarket, my sister and I would rush to eat everything she bought in one evening, to which my mother would respond, "Allyuh know if have a day called tomorrow, right?". This simple statement went beyond the meaning of saving food for later. There is always tomorrow. If you do not get something done today, you have tomorrow to do it. In this way, my mother taught us patience and perseverance. Even to this day when I find myself trying to cram all my responsibilities in one day, I take a step and remember, "It have a day call tomorrow".
Humility
"Yuh ain mek yuhself." = You must never forget where you come from.
Coming from humble beginnings, my mother made sure to instill in me that no matter how far I go, or how successful I become, I must always remember where I came from. She taught me to stay humble throughout everything. No matter how much money you make or how far you travel, you must always remain grateful and be sure not to abandon your family, your culture, or even yourself.
Caribbean mothers are our greatest teachers, and just because we have grown up doesn't mean we stop learning from them. I love you mum, and thank you for all the lessons you've taught, and the ones that are just yet to come.
