Today is Mother's Day:

Love and honour them, always!

A mother is precious to both humans and animals. Everyone of us love and respect our mothers and are very much indebted to them for the love, protection and care they give us from birth to adulthood. Mothers have to be appreciated and rewarded for all the special care they give us. It has been said that the 'hand that rocks the cradle, rules the world' - It is indeed so.Today, the second Sunday in May is dedicated to mothers the world over. Most of you must be aware by now, of the origin of Mother's Day. However, we in Sri Lanka really do not need such a special day to make our mothers feel they are special. Our culture teaches us to love, obey and respect our parents all the time, though sadly there are some who tend to neglect their mothers due to various personal reasons. So, perhaps all the commercial and media type about this event will jolt them into realising how much they've neglected their mothers and put them on the right track. The rest of us who anyway treat them well too could use this day to do something extra special for our mothers.

Here are somethings you could do today; volunteer to help her with her chores at home or even give a complete break from such work, make a simple card expressing your love and gratitude and give it to her with a big hug or simply say "I love you and thank you for everything you do for me"!

Some tributes paid to their mothers by our readers are published here.

I admire her greatly

My mother is one of the most precious gems in my heart. Her kindness and pleasant words encourage me to do everything.The most admirable quality I see in her is the kindness she shows to everyone. My mother helps everybody who needs her help. She never turns away a person who comes and asks for help or care. She always looks into the needs of not only her children, but also others.My mother's enduring patience surprises me. In fact, it's another astonishing quality I admire. Out of all her good qualities, patience and friendliness are two qualities I learnt. This changed me into a different personality.In return for her love and affection, I will always give her my love, respect and gratitude. My mother will be the most admirable person in my life, always. I'll never forget her.

Shazma Hiflan,

Leeds International School,

Mahara.
 

You're protected in my heart

Throughout all my dreams,

I hear your words

I remember your smile

I feel it calmly

That's the love

In my arteries:

In my blood,

And in my veins

You're protected in my heart

In between gold fences

That's the warmth

In my hands;

In my heart

And in my eyes

I told you that I love you,

More deeper than the ocean

But, I feel sad,

When I feel you've gone

From my life...

Ishari Anuradha Perera,

Grade 9-F, Sujatha BMV, Matara.

M-O-T-H-E-R

M is for the million things she gave me,

O means she's slowly growing old,

T is for the tears she sheds for me

H is for her heart of purest gold,

E is for her eyes shining with love

R means right which, she'll always be

M. Naflan Najimuthdeen,

Grade 6-A, Zahira College,

Colombo 10.