Kamla: Young women should become mothers

OPPOSITION LEADER Kamla Persad-Bissessar is urging young women to consider the opportunity to become a mother. She said one of the most beautiful feelings in life is the happiness and joy experienced “when you return to a home of happy children."

In her Mother’s Day greeting on May 11, Persad-Bissessar said she made the call based on her own experiences.

“There is nothing more completing for a woman than the sounds of her children’s feet running through the house, the shrieks of their blissful laughter, the tender touch of their hugs and kisses, the satiating innocence of their smiles, the quenching love of holding a newborn baby in her arms for the first time.”

She said concentrating solely on careers, and not motherhood, during a woman’s 20s and 30s would not negatively affect a woman psychologically at that time because she would usually have a lot of single friends and thus a vibrant social life.

“However, as the years go by and women surpass 40 years and older, social life slows and friends get married, moving on with their own families. While you may have achieved your career goals, life without a family and children may get very lonely as you get older.

“Without familial love, money, and achievements become worthless when loneliness envelops your older years. All humans need love and companionship to achieve their fullest potential; women, in particular, have an inherent drive to nurture and care. It is very possible to have a career and be a mother at the same time— you don’t have to choose between them.”

Persad-Bissessar said mothers have long been the pillars of families at home and the foundation of progress at work in Trinidad and Tobago. She said the nation’s development and growth were built by generations of mothers who, against all odds, ensured their children attained better lives in a progressive nation.

“That is the legacy of many generations of mothers in our nation, and to them, we owe an eternal debt of gratitude.

“To all the mothers, grandmothers, aunts, and other maternal figures, I thank you for being our heroes and inspiration.

“This Mother’s Day, I extend my best wishes to all mothers for a safe, enjoyable day. I hope you feel loved and appreciated today, and may God bless and keep you always.”