The Mother Who Changed The World

Mamma mia! I have waited for this occasion to tell this story.  I heard this by word of mouth almost 17 years ago.

 

This story has changed the world, maybe not your world (yet), but the world of these people...

 

The Tradition
Tutsi needed to fulfill a tradition: according to this tradition, once an elderly woman became invalid, the eldest child of the family had to deliver  her into the heart of the jungle and leave there to die.

The journey
The day came when Tutsi had to do this. She carried her mother on his back and began a day long journey. While going on his way in silence, he noticed that her mother kept on reaching for branches, breaking them and leaving the pieces behind.

At sundown, they finally reached the dropping point. He laid her down with some food to last maybe for a day.  Her mother wanted to hug him before leaving, but Tutsi refused to come near her.  Deep within he felt some kind remorse, but kept it by himself.

What's within
When he was about to leave he noticed again those twigs behind them. So he turned back and spoke for the first time in the day. "Mother, why did you keep on breaking those branches? I am sorry. I know you are angry."  With that her mother struggled to speak: "No, son, it's not that. I am not angry. I broke those branches and scattered them along the way because I don't want you to get lost ...they will guide you back home..." A douse of emotion surged upon him,  he broke down, cried aloud and hugged her mother.

The following morning, in the tribe, everyone was present in the council. For the first time in the history of the tribe, a long held tradition was questioned, but since nobody really knew why that tradition came to be, everybody agreed to reverse it.

The Day
Since that day, every year they brought all mothers, old and young, into the public square to be honored, praised and hugged...

Happy mother's day...

 

photos: web | posted by: john b. bejo