Life is full of lessons, and one of the greatest teachers we have ever had is our own mother. Our desi mothers can be viewed as a unique set of women, especially when reflecting back on the last few decades of British Asian culture, our mums have had to face hardships and overcome challenges with unwavering strength. All whilst being a family’s main source of comfort, provider of unconditional love, and biggest supporters of their children’s entire lives.

In many cultures around the world, it is no secret that women have faced tough pressure and judgement within their communities. But in our traditional desi culture; strict in-laws, household chore imbalance and pressure for Mothers to ‘do it all’ is not uncommon. Because of this, we can learn so many lessons from our mums that will help us become better people in life as well as having a better understanding of some the decisions they had to make whilst we were growing up.

Here are some of the greatest things we can learn from them:

1. Selflessness: Our Desi mothers have taught us to value compassion and selflessness. They have always put others before themselves and have been generous with their love and sacrifices for the greater good. We can learn from them to be caring and selfless when needed, but it’s important to recognise the need for setting boundaries and prioritising our own well-being.
   
2. Perseverance: Our Desi mothers have faced so many hardships and yet they never gave up. They kept pushing forward and kept striving towards what they believed in.
   
3. Respect: Our mothers have taught us to always respect others and to treat them with kindness and understanding. From them, we can learn the importance of respecting others and how it can help create a better society. And perhaps this could help us learn to be less judgemental in our communities where relevant, chances are most people are trying their best.

These are just some of the great things we can learn from our desi mothers and all mothers around the world. Our mothers are truly an inspiration and their lessons are worth more than gold! Here’s to celebrating motherly figures in all forms and the world being kinder to them.