Dear, though not always near: Ras and mum (left) love spending time together, while Lim says she calls her mum every day when they are apart.
PETALING JAYA: Distance is no barrier to cherishing the bond between mothers and their children on Mothers Day.
Ras Atiqah, 31, has spent many Mothers Day away from her mother since her early teens due to boarding school and later, work commitments.
“As a working adult in my 30s, I try my best to make time to go back to my hometown during special occasions such as Mothers Day,” she said.
This year would be a special one for my mum, she said, as her engagement was a day earlier.
She said the gift for her mother this year would be a future son-in-law.
Ras has a close relationship with her mother, particularly since her father passed away seven years ago.
“I spend a lot of time with her, though. I call her almost every day just to update her on my day and ask her about hers,” she said.
Ras would drive three hours home to Perak almost every weekend to spend quality time with her mother.
“She has been my pillar of strength, and since I was little, she never clipped my wings and has always been so supportive of everything that I do,” she said.
Elaine Lim, a 24-year-old Sarawakian student studying in Kuala Lumpur, is spending her sixth Mothers Day away from home.
Despite being far away, she shows appreciation for her mother every year through gifts such as flowers and cakes.
“This year I will get her eye cream as a gift, as well as her favourite flowers – roses,” she said.
One particularly memorable Mothers Day was two years ago when Lim celebrated the special day earlier at home.
“My mother was very happy,” she said.
Lim is also very close to her mother and calls her every day.
“My mother is special to me because she’s like my best friend, who listens to me every time and knows everything about me,” she said.
Wan Adam Zuhair, 27, who works in Singapore’s banking industry, is spending his second Mothers Day away from home.
“I feel sad, but it’s inevitable that I’m here. I just hope she understands,” he said.
Every year, he gets premium chocolates, flowers with a card, or popcorn to express his appreciation to his mother.
This year is no different, even with the noticeable rise in costs.
“I am very close to my mum as she took care of me and supported me my whole life.
“I try to visit her in Kuala Lumpur at least once a month, and I call her often to ask how she’s doing,” he said.
Rachanah Sugumaran, 24, a university student, said this was the first year her mother would celebrate Mothers Day without any children at home.
“Other years, I will be at home in Ipoh, but this year, I am interning in Kuala Lumpur,” she said.
Her four older siblings are working out of state.
Although they are all apart, Rachanah and her siblings will coordinate to give their mother flowers and a cake by delivery.
“If we are in town, we will bring her out for a meal, but this year will be slightly different,” she said.
