Mala Patel,
Banker, 60 years
As a child I was quiet and shy. My mother was my protector as I hid behind her, she was my shield. As much as she tried to embolden and to encourage me, I was too timid. Today, I am a mother, I can look back at who my mother was, her life and as a woman in her own right. Because I know today that she was not only a mother but also a woman in a man’s world. My mother was brave, she was a fighter, she did not back down when it came time to protect what was hers and what was, her family. We grow up to inherit the good and the bad experiences of our childhood, and I do believe that how our mothers treat us makes up a big part of who we become. But if we cannot at some point in our adult lives look at mothers objectively, as another human being, then I believe we do a great injustice to our mothers. I like who I am today, so I am grateful and thankful to my mother. My mother was special to me.