This is the woman who helped me get to where I am today.

The woman who carried me, fed me, changed my nappies, played with me, cheered me on when I learnt to walk, toilet trained me, drove me to and from creche and pre school (and bought me ice cream at the gate), taught me to love vegetables, took me to doctors and specialists everywhere, checked my temperature, gave me paracetamol and countless drugs, made sure I continued to live a normal life as she did all that, took me to school, worked to pay my fees even while she cared for every need AND helped me with homework, taught me how to make porridge, tea and sadza (and just about everything else), went to consultation days and prize-giving, saw me through high school, helped me stand on my own while at university, and saved my life- literally- when I had malaria, and the doctors didn't know what it was and didn't know what to do... And discharged me from hospital and treated me herself... Who was always at the other end of the line when I phoned home from far away, whether to complain about my job or to tell her I couldn't sleep... Even when I called at 2am, sick and 1 000km away...  And then she travelled to where I was to make sure I was OK....

This is the woman who has shared my adult life with me as a friend, as we've stood together through happy times and sad, through times of plenty and lack....

This is my mom.

Happy Mother's Day, Mum! I love you forever.