"In this second article for International Women’s Week, Team Courage’s Jo Ann shares about her century-old inspiration - her grandma. Raising 5 sons on a strong foundation of love & respect, every member of her family continues to reap the harvest of her bold choices."
by Lim Jo Ann
When you say inspiring women, a lot of names popped in my mind. I was lucky enough to grow up amongst many strong and amazing women like my mum, my sister and almost all my relatives and friends! But if I had to choose one to write about, to celebrate her achievements and honor, it would be none other than my late grandmother.
As a woman born about a century ago, can you imagine the level of inequality back then? But despite all that, she had her own kopitiam (not cafe, legit kopitiam!) and with the help from my grand aunt, raised five amazing sons.
Not only did they all get education, but all five sons respected, encouraged and treated women as equals. My dad and uncles have no issue with cooking or housework. Every single one of my cousins (male and female) were raised to believe we can achieve anything.
To me, apart from raising me (the youngest granddaughter!) and keeping me safe for years, the most amazing thing she did was accepting me for who I am and loved me despite whatever decision I made. To provide context, even at 100 years old where she couldn't remember most things but still asks us daily if today is Sunday and are we going to church.
Till the moment she left at 101, as long as she could speak, she prays every night for the entire family. That means all five sons, their wives and their children.
"So could you imagine, if you were a 90 over year old woman, with such strong faith and traditional values, how would you react when you were told your youngest granddaughter was pregnant, out of wedlock, at age 17?"
My grandmother (and my entire family) had every reason to be upset. If I were in their shoes, I can't even imagine what I would do out of disappointment, anger and sadness. Instead, this wonderful woman in her 90's made sure I ate well, did not love me any less and welcomed my son (her great-grandson) with nothing but joy. As I was going through my pregnancy after dropping out of form lower 6, I could hear her praying for me and my son every single night.
There are a lot of achievements made by women today, but we did have a tiny bit of upper hand compared to a woman that was born in the 1910's. Sometimes we are so focused on career achievements, but to me, what my grandma did was an enormous achievement. In our entire family tree, every single one of our achievements are hers.
How my whole family learns to respect, love and treat everyone as an equal, that is her achievement too. To me, being able to hold my head high as a single teenage mother, was her achievement too.
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