Elsa Angel Rose
Another Mother’s Day has come, but one day is hardly enough to thank all the mothers who raise responsible individuals and lay the foundation for a healthy, progressive society. Motherhood comes with great responsibilities and sacrifices for women. From the moment a child is born, a mother’s priorities begin to change; her world starts revolving around her child, guided by the boundless love she carries in her heart for them.
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Every relationship begins with one of the greatest forms of love, self-love. Whether it is the role of a daughter, sister, wife, or mother, self-love is the cornerstone upon which these relationships are built. And inherently, mothers of the new age believe in loving themselves rather than sacrificing themselves, quite the opposite of what many older generations of mothers once preached. New-age mothers are not wrong to choose themselves first. It is long overdue to change the perception of how a mother should be. A woman becoming a mother does not, and should not, mean the end of her own life. Motherhood should be enjoyed and cherished as an addition to a woman’s life; it should not consume her wholly to the point that she no longer has a life outside her children’s world.
Manifesting dreams through motherhood
Tany Pinto, the founder of Goa’s first and only customised millet celebration cake outlet in Merces, is mother to a 7-year-old boy, a 4-year-old girl and a 1-year-old boy. It is never an easy feat to look after her children and her venture at the same time; it takes immense planning, meticulous effort, and day-in and day-out toil for her to excel in both her roles, as a founder and a mother. “Planning my schedule is crucial to succeeding both as a mother and an entrepreneur. I visualise my goals for both, and then plan all my activities for the week so that I can serve both my children’s needs and customer expectations well,” said Tanya. Certainly, she has important roles to fulfil as a mother and a founder, but she never rids herself of her silly interests. “I love reading, so I ensure I borrow some interesting books from the Central Library in Patto every month. I also strength train with a lovely fitness coach, Pooja, who has transformed my productivity and energy levels immensely.” Motherhood for Tanya has broken her open and made her a new person.
For a mother her children remain forever young
“The greatest joy for me has been watching my children grow into independent and caring adults, learning to face challenges alone with strength and maturity. More than anything, I cherish having been their safe space, their strength, and helping shape their lives with the guidance of my husband and the grace of my Creator,” said Dr Aida Dourado from Nuvem, Salcete.
Even as her children grow up, to a mother, they are always her little ones, seeking her unconditional love and support. “Although they have grown up into beautiful young adults, for me, they will still remain as children till my last breath. So, motherhood never really changes,” said Dr Aida, mother to 2 young adults and a sociology educator. For Dr Aida, motherhood is about balancing efficient time management with multitasking, all while leading with love. She said, “I never had much time for myself earlier, nor do I have it now. But I have always believed in managing time wisely. I am a good multitasker and often push myself beyond limits, sometimes even at the cost of my health. Yet, the satisfaction of seeing things fall into place makes every effort worthwhile. Motherhood is a blessing, but with it comes responsibility.”
Motherhood: tiny smiles, endless love
“Motherhood has been the most beautiful and emotional journey of my life. Since becoming a first-time mom to my baby boy, my whole world has changed. He was born on 16th April at 35 weeks, so from the beginning itself it was an emotional journey with lots of prayers, care, and love. The best part of being a mom is holding him close, seeing his tiny smile, and knowing he feels safe and comfortable with me. I love my baby boy with all my heart, and every day I’m trying my best to give him all my love and care,” said Inacinha Virginia Dsouza, a new mom and a fashion designer from Corgao, Pernem.
For Inacinha, motherhood unravelled a new version of herself, a version marked by more care, patience, protectiveness and love. “Before becoming a mom, I never knew I could love someone this deeply. Even small things about my baby boy make me so happy and emotional now,” said Inacinha. Being a first-time mom, it gets overwhelming at times, and she finds herself looking for breaks. “There are sleepless nights, worries, and days when I feel very tired physically and emotionally. But at the same time, one smile or cuddle from my baby boy makes everything worth it. I’m also very thankful because my husband has been very supportive throughout this journey,” said Inachinha.
A mother who leads with strength and passion
Being a single mother is one of the bravest things a woman can do. It bestows upon the mother the responsibilities of both parents, and carrying them out effortlessly, or at least without making them seem overwhelmingly difficult, is a superpower in itself. It is all the more important for a single mother to make time for herself. “Having ‘me time’ is very important to me, especially as a single mother, because my priorities are making sure that all the bills are paid, my son’s education is taken care of, my mother is looked after, and everything that needs to be done for the house is managed as well. Me time is important because if we are not happy within ourselves, how can we make others happy? For me especially, I believe that you should always do what you love to do,” said Cecille Rodrigues, a mother, activist, dancer and a dance academy founder.
The teenage years are an extremely crucial phase in an individual’s life, and as a single mother to a teenage son, Cecille emphasised the importance of guiding and supporting him. For her, being in a healthy mental space herself is the first step towards doing that effectively. “Luckily, my profession is in the performing arts, and I have turned my passion into a career, so I already enjoy what I do,” said Cecille. She further spoke about the rewarding experience of motherhood and how her son is one of her biggest pillars of support: “My son knows that Mama also needs her own time to engage and challenge herself. And yes, my son is a great supporter of mine and always encourages me to do good things in life.”
