When I was a little girl and someone asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I never hesitated. I didn’t dream of empires or careers. I simply said, “a mum”. That was all I ever wanted — to be a mother. Not just in name, but in the deepest, most wholehearted way.

And I was blessed. On days like today — Mother’s Day — I’m swept back to those golden mornings when the door would open, laughter would spill in, and all four of my little ones would tumble into my bed. I can still feel the press of their warm little feet against me, their tiny limbs wiggling and tangling in a joyful chaos of love. Their eyes sparkled with mischief and delight as they brought in breakfast on a tray, beaming with pride.

There were always the handmade cards — crayon scribbles and crooked hearts — each one a masterpiece. And the tiny treasures chosen so carefully from the school Mother’s Day stall. Each child had two dollars to spend, and with those two coins, they gave me the world. The joy on their faces as they presented their gifts was worth more than anything money could ever buy.

Those mornings were precious, fleeting. If I count them, there were quite a few, yet somehow they slipped through my fingers like mist. Why do those moments fly by so fast?

Now, I watch those same little ones — all grown, building lives of their own — and I feel a different kind of joy. A quieter one, full of pride and gratitude. Some of them now wake to their own version of Mother’s Day mornings: warm feet, wriggling limbs, sticky kisses, and breakfast on a tray. The circle continues.

And here I am, preparing a long table at home — laying out plates, folding napkins, setting a place for each of them. Because no matter how big they get or how far they go, I will always be the mum who waits with a full heart and an open door.

Being a mum isn’t just something I became — it’s who I am, woven into every year, every wrinkle, every memory, every meal I prepare with love. And as the door opens and the laughter spills in, I know — I already became everything I ever wanted to be.