You come into this world not knowing anything, but as a result of a mother’s enduring. For me what was different was my mother’s enduring did not simply end with the labour of her final child being birthed. Her real struggle in life, and her perseverance test only just began then. What she did, and how she alone raised 3 incredible children has become the greatest source of my inspiration and motivation all these years.

There is very little we remember from ages 0-5. I, myself have little memory and recollection of all the events that came to be and to a large extent they might even be skewed. Off the little that I do remember; one of the most prominent ones in my mind that to this day challenges my capacity is the memory of my mother going to night school to pursue further education.

The reason this memory is so important is because when I grew older and could finally put things into perspective, I realised what an extra-ordinary feat this was. My mother, Pritee Galaiya – this incredible woman in her late 20s at the time, was raising 3 young children who were just 3 years apart from each other, she was running a business during the daytime in a country she had only been in for a few short years, and then went to college at night. Not to mention, all the cooking, cleaning, upkeep of the house, taking care of her babies, balancing her own health, and dealing with the trauma of a constantly abusive and violent husband. The very thought of what these years would have been like for my mother brings instant tears to my eyes, as I cannot fathom what she would have gone through, and how she pulled herself together time and again and unrelentingly kept up her pursuit despite everything life was throwing her way.

From thence, my mother sacrificed the next 20+ years in building our lives. She completed her studies and kept on building her businesses; often working 7 days a week all year round. She raised the three of us as a single parent and her example and hustle made us grow up very quickly. We started adulting in our childhood; helping out at home, in her business and everywhere else we could. Her struggle soon enough was no longer hers alone to bear, it was our struggle. Our struggle for a better life, for us, but more importantly for her too.

Even though she carried the heaviest burden, she never made us feel like we were alone, she was always there – school events, birthdays, holidays – every situation you could think of where you needed a parent. She was always there. She always put us first. She was the only parent we ever needed and I never felt a void from not having an active father figure. She has given us a life second to none, in spite of everything. Alongside it all, she taught me the lesson – that nothing is unachievable with enough effort and a grit to see it through. It doesn’t matter what your circumstances are. You just need a strong enough reason. We were her reason! She is mine!

She has spent half her life in bringing me to this point in my journey. It is my responsibility now to take what she’s given me, to emulate and embolden the example she has set all these years, and to embark on a journey that will be known as the inception of her legacy. Today, as I am 25, writing this, I recognise that it was around this very age in my mother’s life that she started the toughest phase of her life. I feel grateful for the life I have and the minuscule of challenges I have today in comparison to what she had to overcome. This then becomes my responsibility, to take this wonderful life that my mother has given me and Dream of a Legacy that will spread her story, her overcoming and her deliverance to the world through my works.