Thank You Mama

 Thank You, Mama!!

One of my biggest fear was losing my mother Rosemary Dumba Bukirwa Kasalirwe and it actually happened on 22 June 2021 at 3 pm at Mulago Hospital, Kampala, Uganda. I had no idea how I would react but God gave me the strength to go through the most difficult phone call from the doctor that day and the events that followed like the disbelief, sunken feeling that she has actually gone to be with the Lord

 and all the what-ifs theories that follow. Writing this tribute to my mother brings all these days memories, actual emotions, and feelings flooding back like it was just yesterday.

My mother was the most welcoming person I know to everyone in their capacity without discrimination. When you introduced her to a friend, she immediately took her under her wings as her own child. Ask more about them and their parents’ background so see if they would teach you her son something good or bad.

I can never forget her level of empathy for others which I too, adopted from having associated with her for the 42 years of my life I spent with her. She would like to see that everyone was mostly fed and happy when spending time with her. She was also always very tidy, clean and paid a lot of attention to detail that most of her children picked up from her. Most importantly, allowing us to see how unconditionally she loved her friends and family with all their imperfections. She was truly one in a trillion!

The death of a parent especially a mother changes you in ways, you can never begin to explain properly to anyone apart from those who have been through the same experience. Our dad passed on 12 years before our mother and during all this time, we saw our mother demonstrate a quote by Franklin D. Roosevelt “Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the assessment that something else is more important than fear.” That her children were now more important and she was ready to do whatever it took to ensure we continued to live our lives as best as we could. She continued to crack jokes with us and become even more of our best friend because even my sister who lives abroad used to call her too to cry about something that was disturbing them that day.

My mother Rosemary’s passing has left me so contented with striving unnecessary for anything materialistic that the world has to offer to an extent that I look in amazement at those still fighting, betraying, back stubbing, backbiting others for such things. This is because none of us goes with anything out of this world because we come into this world with nothing. The most important thing to me now is how well I should continue to love my family, friends and ensure that they too know the deepest part of my love for them.

However much we are afraid of death it will surely come to all of us one day too soon. The biggest takeaway for me is many as I will keep sharing but, right now stop and check-in with yourself always.

Ask yourself what is important to you right this minute and go do just that. I have no regrets when I think about how I spent most of the last days with my mother because I gave it my all-in love, care, and support but God’s Plan always prevails in the end. It’s in that knowingness that I find comfort that we did our best at the time with what we had.

So, the person reading this now should start being comfortable around the word death because it’s only then that you will change the way you live your life, build relationships, create memories with loved ones, and most importantly live your life fearlessly. This is because none of us will escape it or live this world alive.

Grieving for my mother is a lifelong process I have come to accept slowly because I cannot give her that love again or receive it either but can rest in the comfort of the good memories I built in my mind about her always. Greif as many would say is simply love that has absolutely nowhere to go. This is why the world would miss a truly loving classy person with a warm and friendly heart of gold that touched so many and left a real impact on so many as well.

May You Mum continue to rest in Peace,

Forever loved and always missed!

Your Baby Son

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JGFQNDqCqU

Edward  K. Kateregga