WHENEVER Mother’s Day approaches, one remorseful mother sits dreading all the pain and longing for her children this day brings. She looks around her apartment and longs for the merry chatter and bustle of the ten children she had maintained all these years. She remembers the perilous times she endured as a single mother, toiling in the most incredible ways to put food on the table for them.
Most have grown and have become scattered in both local and foreign locations; but on a day like this, taking into consideration all she has endured, she deservedly longs for the hugs and kisses of her adorable children.

Venus English, now 45 years old, has had a harsh childhood, and it has left its many scars on both her body and her psyche, and has contributed greatly to her present dilemma.

She was born into a home in which her real father was absent, and was forced for many years to endure the wrath and fury of a very inconsiderate and unkind stepfather. She can today still remember with dread her shrill screams of agony as he unleashed those merciless and oft unnecessary whippings on her, bellowing at the top of his thunderous voice in incoherent rage.

She could recall with tremor the many times she had been locked out and severely punished for trivial little mistakes that any little girl growing up would make.

When she turned sixteen, she could take it no more, and went to live with an uncle, where she performed live-in domestic duties to earn her food and keep at his premises.

All she knew about men was that they beat and tormented females, which of course was drilled into her by the actions of a wicked step-father. She longed to be loved and cherished, and so naturally, at age eighteen, when her first boyfriend professed undying love and a willingness to provide her with stars on a moonbeam, she jumped at the offer. Yes, he offered love for a number of years, and two kids (male and female) before he began to show his true colours.

She harboured not the slightest suspicion that her knight in shining armour was a very manipulative, unfaithful and disloyal individual, until she began catching him in compromising situations with the ladies.
It was almost impossible for her to leave him then, since she had well nigh become addicted to her ‘Henry’, as she sweetly called him; and as such, she spent many months in turmoil, wetting her pillow with scalding tears of anguish each night.

But, like they say, when a woman becomes fed up, her fury becomes like the very pits of hell. So her anger and disappointment at being deceived soon had the better of her, and she began to hate him so much that it made her see red at times.

She became hardened for a while, and locked herself away from what she deemed a very cruel world; but a young woman with feelings and desires can abstain for only so long, so when the next male came along, she fell for the sweet kisses and promises that he would never hurt her like his predecessor.
Whoops!! Up came another child, and yet another, and man number two grew tired and moved along without even thinking about his children’s welfare, just like the first guy did.

Her world caved in, and she began to think that men were the worst creatures the Creator had ever placed on the face of the earth. She began to run from the advances of men after that, struggling to meet the very demanding needs of her four children. It was no easy experience, and many days she wept bitterly as she went hungry for hours just to ensure her children’s stomachs were filled.
But some time afterwards, she succumbed to her womanly desires and started a very steamy relation with an elderly man, since she felt that this older male would be more considerate and committed. She was terribly mistaken, and he also shattered her blossoming world to smithereens.

Not knowing the love of a father during her youth had her making many mistakes with the male sex in her attempt to find love, and she paid dearly for it. Many children came after, and with them the pain and despair of maintaining them and watching the fathers disappear.
But Venus was being hardened as the years went by, and when her children numbered ten, she gave up entirely on men and turned to the Creator. Today she is a staunch ‘church-goer’, and tries her best to have her children not make the mistakes she has made.

Today is Mother’s Day, and she wept last night, longing for the sweet presence of her children. Her only companions are a grandson and her youngest daughter, Shontelle, who lives with her in Victoria Village, East Coast Demerara.
Another daughter, Tanisa, is now a businesswoman in the interior locations, and her eldest son, Leroy, resides in Barbados. Her younger sons — Brentnol, Shirwin, and Dwayne — are living in various locations in Guyana with relatives who suddenly became interested in them when they became grown youths. And naturally, Venus let them leave, to ease the stress of having to fend for them daily.
Daughter, Thumbell, is married and has a family, while Anisa is presently living somewhere in Guyana with her common-law husband. Another daughter, Sedeka, is living in Barbados with her father’s relatives, while two younger sisters and two brothers are staying with relatives around Guyana.

Venus is now an excellent and certified caterer, and is popular along the East Coast for providing the best in pastries, cakes, and both Indian and Creole dishes. While she supplies her goods to many business places presently, she longs to have her own business, but is unable to do so because of severe financial constraints.

However, despite her struggles, the God she serves seems to have blessed her with renewed youth and beauty, and she looks remarkably young and attractive for her age.

She intends to visit her mother, Barbara English, today, and will cook for her and celebrate this auspicious occasion with her. She is going to miss her children, but she is a strong woman who will surely survive, as she has done all these years.
Venus English can be contacted on phone number 696-3105.