TO BE frank I have learned lots of valuable lessons from my mother. The most valuable lesson to me is to keep my morals and values high. This story will tell you what I am talking about, everytime I tell this story tears always come to my eyes. Our Dad left Jamaica to make life better for us but unfortunately it was not so, as he went over illegally and had to get married. We suffered greatly. We were always hungry.

In April 1987, the evening before Easter, we did not have anything, one of my Dad's friend came to the house. I saw him with a lot of money, he bought us something to eat, but that was not his motive. He wanted my mother. He stayed until night and to cut a long story short, as a little boy I overheard my mother telling him to leave, she didn't need his money. He was assertive but my mother was strong and had high moral values. She did not lower her standard for a little money that will soon be finished in a few days and would have caused us to hold down our heads in shame forever.

Until this day I am really proud of my mother and I had learnt a valuable lesson from then. Many times I have fallen into difficulties and many desires and vanity came my way but I refused to indulge, THANK YOU MOTHER for the person you have been. To conclude my story, the next morning that was Easter, we had cream crackers and soursop-leaf tea for breakfast and I don't remember if we had dinner. She has reunited with her husband and anywhere he goes he can walk proudly knowing that he has a virtuous woman.

Yaneek

THE MOST important lesson that I've learnt from my mother is the lesson of forgiveness. In April 1998 my father was fatally shot and I was so devastated that it caused me to become very bitter. I felt as if no one cared that my father was dead because they dealt with it so calmly and understandingly. I even started doubting whether my mother loved my father and it made me so angry. After a while I found myself so caught up in thoughts of what should happen to the person who took my father from me and my family. It got so bad that after some time I was told that I was suffering from depression. Then one day I couldn't take it anymore so I went to my mom and I asked her if she really missed my dad because she wasn't really acting like she did and she sat me down and started telling me that I had to learn to forgive and that I should pray about it.

After our little talk we spent time working on my road to recovery (so to speak) and I've learnt that walking around with hatred for another only makes you an angry and bitter person. Thanks to my mom I'm not that angry and bitter person anymore and now I can regret that my father is dead but still treasure his memories while trusting God to do His work because He sees and knows it all. If it wasn't for my mom I don't know how I would manage because she is my rock and the love of my life and I thank God for her every single day because she has taught me a very valuable lesson in life.

Tanya Wisdom

My name is Andre, a college student without the money to buy a present this Mother's Day, so I will stop at nothing to try and win something for her.

WHEN I was a youngster and used to give my mother a lot of trouble, she used to say "when you have your children, they are not going to listen to you and you'll see what I'm going through", and to this day, each time I visit her I tell her I'm sorry and her grandchildren are giving me a warm time.

Sometimes to avoid the trouble my child gives I let my daughter stay with my mother just to let her teach her some valuable lessons too.

IN MY teenage years when my eyes were opened to boys and them to me, my mother taught me about the best type of man. She said, "Man deh pan the blackboard, once you love 'Ed'ucation him will love you back, Yu nuh need no other man until him done. After you done with him ('Ed'ucation), you'll have all the sense you need to choose one that not on the blackboard".

I never took heed to this lesson until I got my unsatisfactory CXC results. I, however, made good the next results when I started to date 'Ed'ucation and him alone.

Nordia A. Sandford

I AM about to tell you about the most remarkable lesson that mother taught me.

I remembered when I was about eight years old, I was about to go off to school one morning. Being a poor family as we were, my mother, who was the smartest of the family, always figured out a way for us to survive.

We didn't have enough food but God bless the little that we had. Anyway, that morning we drank some sugar tea and somehow I was worried about what I will consume in my digestive system during the day. As I was attending a primary school at that time, we also had to pay school fund every Tuesday of about $1, and it was very shameful when you are not a contributor.

The school fund, if anyone should ask, is used for the general upkeep of the school if any item needs replacing or even used I THINK, also to assist students who have a need. (That's funny, but I always had a need!).

To make a long story short, my mother had to do multiple days work around the clock (24/7) in order to feed us. But that particular morning the devil pricked me into stealing my mother's last dime. Oh how she looked for that five dollar coin which she would have to use to pay on the bus to get to work.

O.K. no more suspense, I STOLE IT.

I was asked if I had taken it when the devil pricked me again, and I lied. And If it wasn't for my inquisitive brother and sister I might have got off the case. Suspicion took hold of me, and I was detained, searched and the money was found on my person.

The crook was caught. I was convicted and brought to the fire chamber, this was an old kerosene oil stove that we had at the time.

I could hear my mother shouting "light di stove, a gwine teach yuh a less'n," After the stove was lit tears began to wash my face, my plea for mercy was ignored, I realised I just have to face up to the penalty.

Where was dad? somehow I can't remember.

My two hands were placed over the fire, the torture lasted for about two minutes. The heat of the fire reached my hand causing water bumps to be made, my fingers were also swollen. But it was the same judge dread who helped in the healing process. I went to school late and very sad, I thought about it the whole day. THOU SHALL NOT STEAL echoed into my head from my mother's voice. When I went home we hardly spoke of the matter but I can say today that I really learnt my lesson. I said I will never steal again even if the dollar fell on my big toe, unless it is given to me willingly, it's just not mine to keep.

So my friend, today I too can be trusted with $5 to a million dollars from the hard way that I learnt.

Mother you are the best teacher in a million, your method of teaching sticks, but I would not use that on my kids.

Anyway love you mom, always.Thanks.

Owen Grant

THE MOST valuable lesson I have ever learned from my mother, is that manners will take me around the world. When I was a child, there would be times when I would fall out of line, and forget my place. The first thing my mother would always do, is to remind me that manners will take me around the world.

This lesson has indeed begun to take me far. There have been many times in my life when I have been faced with people in authority who are selfish, egotistic, and sometimes outright wicked. Many times I am tempted to lash out, then I remember the lesson my mother instilled in me.

I would then always try my best to have manners, and to show respect to those naughty authority figures, no matter what they may have done to me. In doing this, I see many successes in life, one after the other, most of which come surprisingly from these same people!!

Sheldon McDonald

MY MOTHER taught us never to complain.

She said we were to be content with whatever situation we found ourselves in.

She would always remind us that "things could be worse ­ so give thanks".

She told us each time we felt like complaining, we should use the time and opportunity to thank God for the many blessings that he has bestowed upon us. "Thanks" she said should be given for blessing both large and small.

This I have proven to be so helpful when things are just not going my way.

Instead of lamenting, I thank God for his mercies to have even allowed me the chance to fail something.

To live to see yet another day is too important a gift for me to even waste time complaining about things that are smaller than LIFE itself.

Sherline Roache

THIS MAY be a lesson taught by every mom, especially to their daughters. It is about not letting men have their own way with you. Independence is what she called it and that's what it really is. If I had not listened to those words of wisdom, I would have been like some of my friends who are either pregnant or have become mothers at a young age. I had a group of female friends while growing up in church and after a while they started to leave because they got pregnant. I am one of three who did not. I thank my mom and God for directing me out of that road.

She died, however I have a stepmother who is O.K. so far, she reminds of my mother in number of ways.

I am now in university studying for my degree. If I had not followed my mom's advice, I am not so sure that I would have got this far. Thank You.

T. Myrie

THE MOST important lesson taught

Was when my mom sought

To comfort my fears

When the world brought me to tears

She said, Life is full of ups and downs

But trust and faith in God

Will always turn things around

To my mom: Ionie Cummings
From: Heather Rose

I SPENT most of my early years with my grandmother. Whenever I wore something skimpy or too revealing she would tell me that I'll never find a husband because he is already seeing what I have to offer.

She also told men never marry the girls that they had sex with in high school because every other man would have got some too and so they would always say that you are not wife material. Whenever I thought she was too strict and told her so she would say "hog say to her mumma how yu mouth long so, mumma woulda say 'cho pickney yu a grow yu soon fine out'". Whenever time I felt like giving up she would say that the race is not for the swift but the one that endures to the end. And her favourite sayings were "parson never get him gown ova night" and "he who fails to prepare, prepares to fail".

Those sayings kept me going through life whenever a problem comes my way even though I no longer live with her I can still hear her.

Tanasha Nembhard

THE MOST important lesson I learned from my mother is one she did not teach me ­ to live for today and not to wait for tomorrow, because tomorrow may never come. Take the special opportunities, moments made available, today. Maximise today. Treat yourself and everyone special today. Do not put off for tomorrow what can be done today.

At the age of 67, my mother is just now trying to live. I WILL NOT make that mistake and that keeps me pushing to achieve for today, today.