Many have had and many shall have, heart wrenching moments in their lives. All families experience the passing of a loved one. It’s a difficult time. A time when one needs love and caring to remind them that life goes on. I lost my father at a young age. I hadn’t seen him for 3 weeks before he died, as I was away at boarding school. Although the drive home was long, the impact of my dad’s passing really hit me when I saw my mother, standing in the dark garden, in front of the farm house. I dropped everything and was drawn to her embrace. The tears welled in my eyes and blurred my vision as I cocooned into her arms. I recognised the look on her face; (the notorious 1000-yard stare) but she still comforted me with a kind, comforting and reassuring smile. A smile of strength, confidence, reassurance and care. I could feel her shudder in that silent embrace and somehow, her strength stilled my intense unhappiness to a quiet sadness. Without saying much, we all turned and walked into the house. That amazing woman, mother of 4 boys; tilled the soil of the farm; got a 2nd job in the nearby town, 16 kms away and worked herself from the wee hours of the morning, well into the night. She put me through school, kept the porch light on for my 3rd eldest brother, who was in the air force at the time and put my 2 eldest brothers through agricultural college. I never heard her complain once…except for when I brought a snake into the house…. but that’s another story. I have been blessed with the woman in my life. Whether it is the overflowing of my mother’s quiet strength that has touched the woman we are now blessed to be married to, or whether we were lucky enough to marry woman similar to her, they have all shone brightly. Conquering problems whilst fending for their family, with un conditional love. Maybe it’s the Lord’s way of gathering that same confident, comforting strength around us. To consul us for when our mother leaves us. A time I’m not looking forward to. Closing in on her 90’s, she still drives her car, works in the garden, moves rocks in her rockery, uses the weed eater; and much to my disgust, the electric hedge trimmer to. The other day she asked me where the chainsaw was and I said, “No, not on!” and hid it. I pray and hope, that if you haven’t been as blessed as I am, to have been raised and surrounded by such magnificent woman as I have, if you are a woman, please muster the strength and strive to be so, for your loved ones. You will be appreciated, loved, supported and looked after. If you are a man, support your woman in such a way that they are able to be the crowning glory of your family. Thank you, mom, for the example you have set. Thank you to all the family wives. It’s evident that you were raised in a loving home and to the young ladies in the family, just follow the lead. Happy International woman day!