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Shouldering a family’s security – mothers are the go-to ones

When the HouseFinder themes for this issue (Safety/Security, Autumn and Mothers’ Day) were plopped together into my cranial cavity and left to churn and ferment, what eventually wriggled out (much like meat through a mincer), is this: Don’t mess with a mother! She is a fierce protector of her offspring and, wanting to keep her young safe and secure, becomes a strong adversary. Believe me, I am a mother in my autumn years.

Through the ages, motherhood has been lauded in beautiful terms.

The Buddhists refer to mothers as having a position of high responsibility and respectability, worthy of honour and esteem. In Buddhism the parents are referred to as mata-pitaro (mother-father) in the Gujarati language of western India. She is described as having “innate corrective power” and is the best friend one has at home. Furthermore, a mother is the “main mentor and redeemer”, states the Buddhi Vihara of California.

In Islam, the honour, respect and esteem attached to motherhood is unparalleled. The Quran places the importance of kindness to parents as second only to worshipping God. The Quran specially emphasises the mother’s role in giving birth and nursing. Prophet Muhammad said that honour should go to the mother, the mother, the mother and then the father. Yes, three times.

Motherhood is described in the Baha’i Writings as a vital and elevated role. Being a mother is a noble aspiration and undertaking. Abdu’l-Baha explains to loving mothers that the best way to worship God is to “educate the children and train them in all the perfections of humankind” and that no nobler deed than this can be imagined.

The Bible, holy book of the Judeo-Christian faith, portrays the role of mothers as being under the protective wing of their husbands whom they serve, love and respect. Children are advised to take their mothers’ teachings to heart (Proverbs 6:20). Woman, as the bearer of the Christ-child, is redeemed in spite of her original sin and cautioned to persevere in faith, love, holiness and self-control (1 Tim 2:15).

At GotQuestions.org, Christian mothers are described as available, involved, teaching, training, disciplining, nurturing, and modelling with integrity.

Most mothers do all of this and go the extra mile for their children. Respect!

But let’s return to that first description of mothers as “fierce protectors”. If four of the world’s religions do not mention protection, it would be safe to say that protection is the father’s responsibility. And yet... So many Namibian women are single parents and need to be both mother and father. Providing economic and physical security to their families because the fathers are absent.

Where are the strong men who need to guard house and home, as per Luke 11:21? Namibian society needs to take a long, hard look at itself.

Christine Stoman