Several days ago, my dad told me ‘tomorrow is your mother’s birthday, don’t forget say something to her.’ I texted “happy birthday” with a “red pocket” attached the second day, while she accepted the wish but did not take the money.

It has been a long time that I haven’t celebrated my birthday with my parents since I left home and went to university. From what I can recall, my mother would always prepare a birthday gift or a birthday dinner for me elaborately. What impresses me most is that my mom took me to the McDonald’s when I was around 10. A hamburger meal set with 2 chicken wings and a bottle of cola, which seems so common nowadays, made me so satisfied back then. Sitting on the back seat of my mom’s bicycle and holding the take-out bag of which the logo was so shinning, I was so itchy to tell the whole world ‘hey, I ate McDonald’s today!’ however, my momate none of them.

I believe you all might have encountered such circumstances, when you are sick, your mom sits beside you; when you feel sad, your mom cuddles you aside; when you get into trouble, your mom tries everything to get you out the of the trouble; when you enjoy the meal on the table, your mom always says ‘eat more, Idon’t like them at all’

But in my perspective, those things listed above are far from to depict what my mom is. Truth to be told, I lived in a poor family, low income brought about not only the problem in materials but also the contradictions in daily life. Endless arguments on the money issue happened frequently between my dad and my mom until one day my mom found a part-time job during the period of my high school and university. She never bought a coat above 200, she never bought a single lipstick, she always wore a suit of labor overalls. Just at the last winter break before I graduated from the university, I came back home, when looking at my mom’s face, which grew a dozen of grey hairs and a mass of wrinkle, suddenly I muted.

I didn’t understand why she barely smiled in the past, but I can imagine how much she has suffered for the last 20 years, working 8 hours in the factory, being confronted with many picky people when she did the part-time job, taking care of me at home, doing the housework day by day and enduring too much difficulty and pressure on her 155cm’s body.

All I can say is ‘thanks, mother. I love you. From now on, I hope you can cast your burden aside, I will be the mountain of the family and take care of you for the rest of the life.’