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Ummi is the Arabic word for "my mother."
When I think of my mom in the past, during my childhood, I think of how much time she spent with all of us children. I see a little girl sitting on the floor with her mother, pillow propped up against the wall, being read to from the
Quran (the Islamic holy book), or being told stories that my grandfather once told. I see long hours at the breakfast table, with my mother patiently trying to teach me to read and write Arabic, or helping me with my homework. I see long walks with my sister and I to the local mall or the ice cream parlor on a warm summer day. I see weekend drives to the ocean with the whole family, and my mother always remembering to bring just the right things -- a frisbee, our dolls, cookies, our sandals so the sand wouldn't fill our shoes. She always knew exactly what to bring and we always felt secure and loved. When I think of my mom in the present, I think of how much she grew and learned with us. When we were in school, she became our counselor and source of strength whenever we felt confused. She always encouraged us to take our education seriously, to be strong, and kind, and proud. And at the different stages of our lives, she somehow changed with us.
Lots of words have been written on the subject of motherhood. Lebanese-American poet Khalil Gibran said "The mother is everything in life. She is the consolation in our sadness, the hopes in our distress, the strength in our weakness. She is the source of compassion, she is love and grace." However, it doesn't take the heart of a poet to express the gratitude and affection we have for our mother. What follows are the thoughts of Arabs across North America, on the subject of their mom. All wonderfully expressed, they answered the question: What do you love and appreciate most about your mom?:
Shahira, Massachusetts
"It's hard to say what I love most about my mom. Because there are too many things to say. I tried to phrase the question as "What I don't love most about my mom" because I thought that might be easier to answer but it wasn't. She is my support system. I love so many things about her. Her faith and kindness. Her strength and will power. Her motivation and hope. Her unconditional love for me and my siblings. Her devotion to her family, and her patience. She influences me in all of these ways. She is my role model."
