Happy Mother's Day to the kindest mom. P.S. Your kindness annoyed me when I was a kid

"My mother always made us prepare and serve black tea to every person who came into our home. It did not matter whether it was an expected or unannounced visitor, a close relative or someone passing through who was a stranger to us kids. And if unexpected visitors showed up during lunch or dinner, my mother would invite them to join us and ask us to serve them. Not only that, an additional guest at a meal would mean less food for everyone."

"My young and selfish self was not happy. My sister Faith reminded me that our mother would actually make us children leave our meal and go prepare tea for the visitor. She too hated those visitors. My sisters said they think some of these strangers took advantage of my mother's kindness by showing up at meal time."

"Faith remembers how she was especially annoyed on days when we did not have enough firewood or it had rained and the firewood was wet which made boiling water for the tea more of a pain. My change of heart Years later, as an adult living and teaching in the United States, I have a different perspective."

"Even when I am struggling to meet my own needs, I still strive to help anyone who needs my help starting with my sisters and the children of my late brother but casual acquaintances and strangers, too. And even though visitors rarely drop by my home in Illinois unannounced, if that were to happen, I would do exactly what my mother did: offer tea and share whatever food I had."

A mother in Kenya required her children to prepare and serve black tea to every visitor, whether expected or unannounced, including relatives and strangers. Unexpected visitors were invited to join meals, even though an extra guest meant less food for everyone. The children resented the disruption, especially when firewood was scarce or wet, making tea preparation difficult. Years later, living in the United States, the adult recognized the kindness as formative and continued the same practice by helping family, children of a late brother, acquaintances, and strangers. If visitors arrived unannounced, tea and shared food would be offered, along with feeding birds using bird feeders.

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