16/01/2026
I USED TO THINK MY MOTHER WAS JUST TIRED.
I DIDN’T REALISE SHE WAS CARRYING US.
Growing up, my mother was always moving.
If she wasn’t cleaning, she was planning.
If she wasn’t planning, she was worrying quietly.
I used to think she didn’t know how to rest.
One night, I woke up thirsty and walked past the living room.
She was asleep on the couch.
The lights were still on.
The TV was off.
Her head rested on her arm.
In her hand was a piece of paper.
It was a list.
Rent.
Food.
School needs.
Electricity.
Everything had a small tick beside it.
Except one thing.
Her name.
There was no space for rest.
No space for herself.
That was the night I understood something that never leaves you once you see it.
Some parents don’t collapse because they’re weak.
They stay standing because someone else needs them to.
My mother wasn’t just tired.
She was carrying a future - and it was us.
