THE SET UP

A wise one once said, "you do all you can for your children while you can." Where the line is drawn between spoiling or weakening your child and lovingly grooming them is a story we can debate over a cup of tea, on another day. That one statement summarises our true role as a parent and it gets clearer to me, each passing day as I clock 4 years on this motherhood train. Our part to play is to mould and nurture a helpless and clueless being, hold their hand and keep showing them the options, until such a time when they are mindful enough for the burden of choosing their life path. At that point, their choices letting them fly high, can only be subjected to prayer, on our end. 

Very early in high school, I got to know a genetist existed before I ever knew there was someone called, nutritionist, out there. My mother however, that beautiful soul, knew better! She knew that to expose me to as much as she could, would find me a place in the world that I chose, because of the more informed advantage of having lived, felt, seen and experienced a fair share of what is and can be. 

I had tasted those sweet multi-vitamin supplements in 1994, which in my country, Uganda, were unheard of, at the time. She would serve them very sparingly and used to hide them in a kitchen cabinet, which we would seek, find and indeed steal. I had used rosemary herb to make black tea and relishes for the family, as early as 1999 before it was ever on the supermarket shelf or hyped by the wellness circles in my country. She had planted one or two of these in our yard and the supply was overwhelming. She had discussed her plans for her diet with me, rather casually, as early as before I could sit for my examinations to leave Primary education. Sometimes, it was with an aim of losing a few pounds or topping a few more onto her scale, so she could feel good on the inside. Maybe, her clever self was finding an accountability partner in me or found fulfillment in acknowledging her decisions and efforts for her health goals. Indeed, all that makes them more attainable, you know! 

She had brought home on several occasions, excitingly packed seeds of numerous vegetables, that she would then go on to plant and care for, even when our compound was a bit too little, until they reached our "Barbie" themed plates. 

Growing in a world of possibilities like this, wellness was just right and very practical for life. Without any force, but in word and deed, mother dearest, had set me up. Awkward to say but this was the most ballistic set up ever. Gratitude for the being in my mother fills me. She set me up, but for life.  I was set up for nutrition!

Our duty again? To nurture and set the generations after us up for a world where they can choose what matters because it is possible and they know better.