By Hessa Al Haram
ABU DHABI – Every person has someone she looks up to and admires. To me, I see my mother as the most outstanding person in my life, not only for taking care of my siblings and me, but also for being the woman she is.
For International Woman’s Day (March 8), I decided to write about my mother, Mariam Ahmed. Of course, it’s also Mother’s Day on March 21, so there’s even more reason for me to write about my mother now.
My mother is a sister, a friend, a teacher and a hero to me. She is always there whenever I need her. When I am sad, I always find her by my side comforting me. Whenever I am happy, she is the first person who sheds tears for my happiness. She is there when I need advice. She is there when I need someone to guide me. Without my mother I feel like a tree without its leaves.
My mother is a strong, confident woman. My mother did not come from a wealthy family, but that did not make her sad or unhappy. She is always a bright woman who thanks God for everything she has. My mother always tells me to appreciate the little things in my life and to thank God for everything He gives us. We do not have to be rich or have five cars to enjoy life, she says. It is always the little things that matter.
Nowadays, you need someone in your life to remind you that happiness does not come from money or material things. Happiness comes when you appreciate the little things you are given in life – and when you are satisfied with these things, however small.
Finally, a role model does not have to be someone who has done remarkable things – supporting a charity or winning medals. You don’t have to win an Oscar or a Grammy to be a role model. Rather, a role model – that is, someone you admire – is a person who gives you happiness and who is always there for you. For me, that is my mother.
About the Author
Hessa Al Haram is a third-year student majoring in visual communication at Zayed University.
This story was originally published on March 20, 2015. It was re-uploaded on Dec. 24, 2020.
