AS MUSLIMS WE BELIEVE THAT HEAVEN IS AT THE FEET OF THE MOTHER BASED ON RELIGOUS TEXT

MY AUNTIE WHO IS LIKE MY SECOND MUM SENT ME THIS WONDERFUL PIECE OF WRITING

A   woman, renewing her  driver’s licence  ,
was asked by  the woman at  Registry to  state her   occupation.

She  hesitated,  uncertain how to  classify   herself.

‘What   I mean is, ‘  explained the woman at  Registry,
‘do you have a  job  or are you  just a …?’

‘Of course  I have a  job,’  snapped the  woman.

‘I’m   a Mum.’  

‘We don’t  list ‘Mum’ as an  occupation,    ‘housewife’   covers  it,’
Said    the recorder emphatically.

I   forgot all about her  story until one day I found   myself    in   the same   situation.
The   Clerk was obviously a career  woman,  poised,
efficient, and  possessed of a  high sounding  title like,
‘Official   Interrogator’ or ‘City    Registrar.’

‘What   is your  occupation?’ she  probed.

What made  me say  it?  I  do not  know.
The   words simply popped out.
‘I’m a   Research Associate in the field  of
Child  Development and Human  Relations.’

The   clerk paused,  ball-point pen frozen  in midair  and
looked up as  though   she had not heard   right.

I   repeated the title  slowly emphasizing the most   significant words.
Then I  stared  with  wonder as my pronouncement was   written,
in bold,   black ink on the  official questionnaire.

‘Might   I ask,’ said  the clerk with new  interest,
‘just  what you do in your   field?’

Coolly,   without any  trace of fluster in my  voice,
I heard  myself  reply,
‘I  have  a continuing program of  research,
(what mother  doesn’t)
In  the  laboratory and in the  field,
(normally I  would  have said  indoors and out).
I’m  working  for my  Masters, (first the Lord and then  the  whole family)
and  already  have four  credits (all  daughters).
Of  course,  the  job is one of the most demanding in  the  humanities,
(any  mother  care to  disagree?)
and I often  work 14 hours a  day, (24 is  more like  it).
But  the  job is more challenging than  most  run-of-the-mill  careers and   the rewards  are  more    of a satisfaction rather than just  money.’

There  was  an increasing  note of respect in the clerk’s  voice as  she
completed the  form, stood up and  personally ushered me to  the   door

As I drove  into our driveway,  buoyed up by my  glamorous new  career,
I  was  greeted by my lab assistants — ages  13, 7,  and  3.
Upstairs I  could hear our  new  experimental model,
(a 6 month  old  baby) in the child  development   program,
testing out a  new vocal  pattern.   
I    felt I had scored a beat on bureaucracy!
And I  had  gone on the official records  as someone  more distinguished   and  indispensable to mankind than ‘just another   Mum.’     Motherhood!

What   a glorious  career!
Especially   when there’s a title on the   door.


Does   this make  grandmothers
‘Senior   Research  associates in the field of Child   Development and Human   Relations’
And great    grandmothers 
‘Executive   Senior  Research Associates?
I  think  so!  
I   also  think it makes Aunts. Associate   Research  Assistants.’ 

Please   send this to  another   Mum,