Who Needs The World Wide Web When You Have Amma’s Witty Wisdom
Everyone needs to have a solid and loving relationship with their maternal motivators.
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“Mother knows best,” is a phrase that I’ve tried my very best to never give my own ‘Ibu’ the satisfaction of saying.
As a millennial born into a mixed Malaysian family, you can say that playing by the book has never particularly been part of my mixed vocabulary, and throughout my youth, I’ve always turned a deaf ear to what I’d initially thought to be nothing more than the maternal ramblings of a woman out of time.
Plus, being called a “mama’s boy” never really jived with my mostly urban upbringing: most, if not all of my cool buddies at the time were all getting informed through the amazing new technology that was the internet.
Even today you’d still see people heading online, rummaging through blogs and DIY videos on how to do normal, everyday things and even hitting up celebrities on social media for life advice.
Which was why I couldn’t help but laugh yet feel all mushy on the inside after catching the 2021 Deepavali special made by Maxis, realising what a dumb kid I was growing up, knowing now how much of a huge influence my own mother has been in my life.
Looking back, I’ve always gone and done things in the exact opposite of what my mother said and always a little too late at heeding her motherly wisdom.
“Don’t go climbing that tree,” she would say – before I’d no doubt fall and hurt myself.
“Go do your homework and study,” she’d remind me – before I unwittingly failed my exams.
“That girl’s gonna break your heart,” she’d warn – before I’d inevitably be left brokenhearted.
But despite my foolhardiness, never has this one incredibly patient woman failed to keep giving me her guidance, support, and a few good ol’ slaps to the face along the way – keeping me grounded to reality and uplifting my hopes and dreams just as a mother should.
If there is one thing that my mother once told me that I try to keep in practice till this day is that: to never let people dictate your emotions and measure your self-worth on the words of others.
I remember how when I was young, I’d feel down whenever an estranged relative would compare me with their own children – sneaking in those low blow comments of how their sons and daughters were “performing” way better at the things they did than I had.
Noticing my distress, my mother would say (and I am paraphrasing here) that: people, even strangers, have a funny effect on you. They say and do nice things that can make you feel good and happy, or the exact opposite, and leave you down in the dumps. But always remember that everyone walks their own path, and you should never be distracted or embarrassed when someone on the sidewalk points at all the holes in your shoes.
This, in retrospect, is a piece of advice I personally find not too different from all the influential and enlightening content that we’d hit ‘Like’ and ‘Follow’ to on TikTok and YouTube. Don’t you think so?
Now before you go on and say that I’m being overly sentimental about this, know that even science has a lot to note about this unique brand of motherly love.
Experts with the World Health Organization (WHO) fully recognise the importance of the procreator and actively promote healthy relationships between mother and child in different stages of life.
The agency’s practical manual for the International Child Development Program (ICDP) titled ‘Improving Mother/Child Interaction To Promote Better Psychosocial Development in Children’ explains that the presence, direction and guidance provided by parental figures, especially mothers, is critical in conditioning a person’s physical, mental and emotional health.
A mother’s guiding hand helps us develop into stable and well-adjusted people, and naturally, a child needs a solid and loving relationship with their maternal motivators to empower them to live long fulfilling lives.
So just as mother nature had intended: I’d say it’s best for all of us to seek the light of mother’s wisdom whenever we’re going through some dark times in life. Because as they say, “mothers always know best” or in my case, a mother always knows just what to say.
For more motherly content, be sure to check out how much of a headache our boi Jiven Sekar was for his mother growing up, and what good advice his ‘Amma’ had given him this festive Deepavali season.
The brightest light lives in the wisdom we share. So here’s to the Ibus, Ammas, ‘Ummis’, ‘Mas’ and Mamas out there – our greatest, most-beloved influencers.
Uncover more motherly wisdom at www.maxis.com.my/ammasays.
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