Verbatim | Nov 23,2024
Mar 5 , 2022
By Carolyn Kissane
Grandmothers are strong women. Being a woman by itself is a definition of strength, but our grandmothers and the women who raised us have gone above and beyond. A few years ago, many things were done manually (which is still the case for many rural women), and most of them were running a large household with several children without a housemaid or a nanny to support them. On top of that, they had to do house chores such as washing, cooking and cleaning. And their husbands would come home for lunch and expect food on their plates no matter how fussy and difficult the children were or how tired the mother felt.
Husbands these days have come a long way. If not help, at least they play with their kids and eat out if a meal is not ready.
“My four kids were a handful," a lady told me once. "My husband, even though his work didn’t really require him to break a sweat, would come home and lay down on the sofa and expect me to bring the kitchen to him. He never bothered to ask me about my day and he doesn’t bother to help even for a few minutes while I was taking a shower.”
As a mother, I often complain about how tired I am of running the house and taking care of the children. It is for a reason. It is tiring but I wonder how our mothers and grandmothers ever did it.
Were they stronger or are we lazy and prone to complaining about everything?
Perhaps it is a little bit of both. We have gotten lazier as a society thanks to technology; our lives have become easier, putting us in energy-saving mode. Whenever we try to break away from this state, we feel tired. It could also be because most things are given to us instead of having to earn them.
Last week, I met an elderly woman on the streets. She was carrying groceries so I offered to help her, but she refused. I was surprised because her load seemed to be heavy. But she said she could handle it.
She was on her way to visiting her grandkids, which cheered her up a great deal. She asked me if I had children and we started conversing. I was full of complaints. I could not find a babysitter and my back hurts every time I pick up the kids. I often feel exhausted even though my husband was helping me out whenever he could.
“I have been there," she said. "I have six children. I gave birth to two of them through operation or C-section. It was difficult that time as their father was never home."
At the time, she was also struggling financially and would get sick from time to time. The only person that helped her during those tough times was her neighbour. It is the perk of living in government housing, aka qebelehomes. Now it is condominiums and apartments, where neighbours do not much know one another and cannot leave their children with them.
"Still, I have to be strong for my children, whatever the circumstances," the elderly lady continued. "I told myself I can do it; I was chosen for the test since the creator knew I was capable of overcoming it.”
She told me that, "strength is a state of mind." No matter how hard, if one is determined, it is possible to gather the courage and get past any adversity.
"But if you are going to complain and feel sorry for yourself, all you are doing is breeding a weak mentality. Sure, it would have been nice had our situation been different but it is not. I know it’s tough, but if anybody can do it, it is mothers.”
Her last words rung loud. Her wits and dedication and how she chose to focus on her strength instead of feeling sorry for herself and complaining made me rethink my actions. In the end, we cannot choose what happens to us but how we react to it.
PUBLISHED ON
Mar 05,2022 [ VOL
22 , NO
1140]
Verbatim | Nov 23,2024
Sunday with Eden | May 29,2021
My Opinion | Jul 18,2020
Commentaries | Jun 05,2021
Fortune News | Jan 14,2023
Verbatim | Jul 13,2020
Viewpoints | Aug 29,2020
Verbatim | Jul 20,2024
Verbatim | Aug 21,2021
Verbatim | Jan 27,2024
My Opinion | 127683 Views | Aug 14,2021
My Opinion | 123866 Views | Aug 21,2021
My Opinion | 122010 Views | Sep 10,2021
My Opinion | 119870 Views | Aug 07,2021
Dec 22 , 2024 . By TIZITA SHEWAFERAW
Charged with transforming colossal state-owned enterprises into modern and competitiv...
Aug 18 , 2024 . By AKSAH ITALO
Although predictable Yonas Zerihun's job in the ride-hailing service is not immune to...
Jul 28 , 2024 . By TIZITA SHEWAFERAW
Unhabitual, perhaps too many, Samuel Gebreyohannes, 38, used to occasionally enjoy a couple of beers at breakfast. However, he recently swit...
Jul 13 , 2024 . By AKSAH ITALO
Investors who rely on tractors, trucks, and field vehicles for commuting, transporting commodities, and f...
Apr 13 , 2025
The federal government will soon require one year of national service from university...
Apr 6 , 2025
Last week, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), part of the World Bank Group...
Mar 30 , 2025
When the private satellite channel, Ethiopian Broadcasting Service (EBS), aired an em...
Mar 23 , 2025
Getachew Redda, head of the Tigray Interim Regional Administration (TIRA), at least u...
Apr 13 , 2025
Some parts of Merkato have fallen uncharacteristically silent, contrary to its typical bustle of traders, shoppers, and hawkers vying for bu...
Apr 13 , 2025 . By AKSAH ITALO
Takeaways: Retroactive VAT enforcement on soybean cake has become a tax flashpo...
Apr 13 , 2025 . By BEZAWIT HULUAGER
A redevelopment initiative along Africa Avenue (Bole Road) has set off alarm bells for property owners wh...
Key Takeaways Federal legislators called for reforms and increased enforcement to protect Ethiopian...
Loading your updates...