Thank you for not suffocating me in my sleep ... 10 love letters for moms

Ten writers have messages for their moms this Mother's Day. Spoiler alert: whether funny or touching, they're all filled with love

Margaret, Mum, mother in a million,

How you fought, prayed, cried, fasted and sacrificed for us. How you pushed us to pursue what would challenge and grow us. How you nurtured us, saved us from ourselves and external harm. How you clothed and fed us on your meagre budget and yet spread generosity to the surrounding community. How you admonished rebellion because you were not "so and so's mother" but ours. How you still faithfully maintain your motherly role. Thank you for this and so much more. "Her children rise up and call her blessed." Prov 31:28. All your children love you. - Asha Speckman

Ma,

Many, many years ago I sighted the first thread of hair below my waistline, and thought I knew it all. But you taught me I knew little, if anything. I even gave you condescending looks when you said, "We need not buy but make our own bread." Not realising you had done far more than that; collecting bricks from demolition sites and building a home for us with your bare hands. Ngiyabonga. I wanted to send you flowers but words have the tendency to live all years and seasons. - Tsepang Tutu Molefe

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Dear, gentle mãe,

Thank you for creating, inside of me, a safe space, a panic room, lined with your soft words and gentle caresses, your belief in me, your unconditional love. It is still today my retreat, my undimmed reservoir from which I gain sustenance. I thank you and the women before you, and those before them, who carried this seed and who have gifted it through the ages. I hope I can transplant it well into my beautiful daughters. I miss you. - Menita (Marianne) Thamm

Dear Mom,

You continue to be a source of life and you give so selflessly to us, your children and grandchildren. Your love sustains us through life and you remain an unwavering safe and solid place. You have nourished us with unconditional love and this Mother's Day I want to say thank you for being you and thank you for your precious love. I learn so much from you Ausi Aggie and are blessed to call you mother. May God bless you every day and in every way. - Poppie (Tlaleng) Mofokeng

Dear Ma,

I've never thanked you for not suffocating me with a pillow in my sleep when I was a teenager. I was horrible. I was moody, I was rude and I was lucky that you didn't backhand me for my disrespect. I'm sure you often worried what you did wrong whenever I played Slipknot too loud and wore black and acted like I had real problems. I'm paying rent and cooking my own food - I have real things to stress about now. I love you. I wish to be a quarter of the mother you were and are. I hope my child is a nicer teenager than I was. Otherwise I'm f****d. Love from your former demon child. - Pearl Boshomane

block_quotes_start I hope my child is a nicer teenager than I was. Otherwise I'm f****d                                        block_quotes_end

Liewe Ma,

I know - don't deny it - that you think that I don't appreciate you. But luister nou mooi. I recently did an interview about motherhood. It required me to distil what had always been a nebulous, amorphous kind of gratitude. This is what I learnt: that you were the one who taught me to watch, to listen. Without these, I would be neither the mother I became, nor the poet that I am. That you parented from an affectionate distance that gave me just enough rope to explore the farthest reaches of the geography of my childhood and of my life, but not enough to become untethered. That you taught me to laugh. - Karin Schimke

Mum,

I don't mean to be mean. I can't be angry out loud with anyone else. Forgive me. I do love you very much. Your thankful and appreciative daughter. PS Can you babysit tomorrow night? I'll be taking advantage of an opportunity you missed while you were busy taking care of us. I do this for you! - Shanthini Naidoo

Dear Mamma,

Do you remember that time when I was little and abba asked me who I loved more and you kicked me under the table and mouthed for me to say him? I know you did it because you were worried I was going to say you and instead of taking pride in this, you tried to save his feelings. You taught us from day one to show care for others and you taught us four girls that a woman can be a soft yet strong thing. We would never be the kind of women we are today without your lessons. - Shubnum Khan

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Mom,

Growing up I know amongst all your children I was the hardest one to raise. I'm not proud of myself for all the hard times I put you through - disappearing and not saying where I was. My version of the story is that I was just a curious child and enjoyed being surrounded by different people and today that curious one admires your strength and courage for raising all five of your children by yourself. With that being said, thank you for raising my son for me like he's yours. I'm strong, courageous and fearless today hobane ke e nyantse letsweleng la hao. - Rea Khoabane

Liewe Mamma,

I often catch you sitting by your window, watching the day dimming behind the Simonsberg mountains. Ag, you tell me when I ask, you're just sitting, enjoying the moment. You will smile, glad to see my face. And the sunset. You don't remember much of the 92 years behind you. Not the place you were born, the places we lived, or where our dad is buried. But you remember my face, Mamma. And my name. And the sunsets. And you're still my best teacher, showing me how sitting and seeing can be enough. - Karen Brynard