So many sons and daughters wait for the twenty-first of March every year to celebrate the world Mother’s Day rushing to give presents and prepare delicious dishes for their mothers expressing their love for their mothers considering this day to be one of life necessities as celebrating it is a holy duty away from all the manners and ethics which we should work with in this ceremony that is supposed to reveal the humanitarian aspect in us.
Mother’s day just like the other events is a season for social media where it is usually taken by storm revealing the ceremonies and posting photos of dishes; forgetting the main goal of this day; so that so many Syrians who war has not caused them damage, spent the time making sweets and dishes in order to post them on social media next to highly elegant phrases; they are taking advantage of this day to show off as if mothers’ value was to be measured with the value of the expensive presents and big parties.
At the time mothers around the world awaits this day, thousands Syrian mothers wish it will not be since this day will remind them of their pains, there are many Syrian mothers who lost their kids and sons in these six years of war, so that celebrating Mother’s day becomes to them tears of their broken hearts with painful memories and miseries.
Om Omar whose wrinkles reveal thousands stories and miseries, said: I lost my three sons in a raid by the barbaric air force on my city Binesh. Who gave this day its joy have become in heaven with their souls while their torn bodies with shrapnel of missiles are under the ground. Then what to celebrate in this day and with who? I celebrate this day every year in the graveyard next to my sons’ graves where I sit beside them revealing to them my pains telling them about what is going on; I also narrate to them stories about their innocent childhood which they had always loved to hear.
Mothers who lost their sons as casualties of this war, are not the only who suffer; Om Ahmad has another suffering just like many other Syrian mothers:” After my sons had enough of the condition in Syria, they decided to seek asylum in Germany; my husband and I become lonely. Mother’s day turns to be a celebration on social media as I talk to them through it, I cry and feel the pain hoping someday I will see them again.”
Who knows the miseries of the Syrian mother particularly speaking in liberated areas, completely realizes this world day is not for photos and celebrations; not for presents and show off; there are many Syrian women who see this day a reminder of their pains.
By Samah Alkhaled
Translated by Sabah Najem
Syrian Press Center
