Mother is a great influence

There was a man of God who spread the sunshine of faith, hope, joy and optimism wherever he went. Whomsoever he met, he changed their lives for the better.

"What is the secret of this great joy that seems to radiate from your very presence?" they asked him.

In answer, he narrated this incident from his life. Years earlier, when he decided to leave home to tread the spiritual path, his mother walked along with him to the outskirts of the village, to bid him farewell, and to bestow her blessings on his spiritual quest. Knowing that she would have to say goodbye to her loving child – perhaps never to see him again – she said to him, "Promise me one thing before your leave."

"What is it mother?" he asked her gently. "Promise me first," she insisted. "As you wish, dear mother," said the young man, "I promise to do as you wish." "This is what I wish," said the mother earnestly. "Dear son, it is a dark world into which you go to seek your salvation. I want you to be safe from all harm and evil. Therefore, promise me this – begin every day with God; and close every day with God. This is all I ask of you." And she kissed him fondly on the forehead.

"It was this kiss – and this promise that my mother asked me – that gave direction to my life," the holy man concluded. "My mother taught me the true secret of joy and peace – begin the day with God, and end the day with God."

The role of mother, as depicted in this anecdote, is vital in making the home heaven-like. It is her nature, her qualities, her temperament which will go to build her home and influence her children. It is her personality which is stamped upon the home she lives in – and the family she raises.

The mother is the greatest influence in the life of a child – especially during the formative years when the child is in the impressionable, moulding stage. It is at her feet, in her hands, that the child's character is shaped. By the shining example of her life, she can infuse in the children love for their cultural heritage, traditions and values, so that the children will always know where their roots are.