Happy Mothers Day

I took this picture in Jordan a few years ago and I really liked it. I thought I would write a little about Mothers Day in Saudi Arabia today. When I told my students it was Mothers Day I always have that one student that answers back with some superiority that these holidays are bad. In this case one student said "we love our mothers everyday" as if to imply that Americans only love their mothers one day a year. I told them that is silly and that we have one extra special day where we give gifts and things like this to honor our mothers. Most students understand this and I think there are actually many who think the idea isn't a bad one. My students told me the Qu'ran teaches to respect your mothers and that your parents are second in respect next to Allah which I think is great. I gave my students a writing assignment last week to write about one person who they have great respect for. Some of them wrote about their mothers which really surprised me because in Saudi they don't talk about mothers or sisters very much. In fact, its kind of offensive to even say the name of your mother and sisters here. My students told me that in family records they don't even write the names of the women in the family. Here are some of the things that my students wrote about their mothers. I'm including the mistakes they made because I like them.

Yazeed writes:
The person I respect is my mother because she cares at me. When I was a child she took me to doctor quickly when I had a problem. she cares about eating me. When I need money she gives me easily, so far she do that for me. She taught me the important things like the patience, when I want something its hard to got it she tells me you have to wait, it takes time, it takes a more work. She wishes to me the best in my life, she prays for me so that become a good man and stay away from anything that is bad. finally, she wants to marry me a beautiful woman and sees my children. I hope from Allah to saves her to me.

Mohammed wrote:
The person I respect is my Mothers. I love my mother because she is the one who born me. Always she takes care of me. she stayed wake all the time to make sure that I'm ok; she got tired all the day for my comfort. She spent her age to grow me up. When I was a child, she was feeding me. Usually, my mother advice me and help me to give me the good things from her life's experience.

Turki wrote:
My mother, she is the most kindness person on me and brothers. I respect her because she's the one how I can tile her my secrets (I can tell her my secrets). My mother took care of me and my brother, and keep us save in said the hawse (inside the house), but my father keep us save out of the hawse. And they races us. (I like that part)

Abdulaziz wrote:
I respect all people, but my true respect is to my mother because she carried me nine months and she had a lot of Pain when she carried me. she did not sleep when I was sick. She was worried when I in dangerous places. for that I have to respect her. We must respect our mothers because they do a lot of things for us. They taught us how we can deal with people. also they tell us to do the good things. And they tell us to let bad things. So we have to give our mothers gifts for that. Or make party for our mothers to explain the thanks to them for what they do for us.

I was very proud of my students for writing these things. Family really is a big deal in Saudi Arabia. In this country you obey your parents always, even if you are old. My students told me that if you are 30 and your parents tell you not to go some place, you will do it. I think in some cases this could be a negative thing but overall I think its very nice that they do this. So now I want to take the time to wish my mother and my grandmother who will probably read this at some point a happy Mothers Day. I'm sorry I couldn't be there to see you both. I love you and I hope you are well. Do something good for yourselves!