A mother’s story of strength and resilience

THE image of what motherhood entails may suggest a happy, glowing woman surrounded by her ecstatic children, filled with wonder and joy, and her forever supportive husband by her side. But this fairytale does not happen for everyone. Mothers, everywhere, every day, are faced with extraordinary challenges that they combat with superhuman strength, courage, and faith for their children. Myrtle Roberts is one such mother.

Now retired and living in Good Hope, today she leads a quiet life surrounded by her children. But she says life was not always as peaceful as it is now. There was a time when Myrtle had to work as a young mother for her future and that of her four children.

Although today Myrtle resides with her son in Good Hope, Mahaica, she was born and raised just a mile or two away in neighbouring Jonestown. Like the rest of Mahaica at the time, Jonestown was a farming community. But as difficult as some cited the age of agriculture to be, Myrtle praised the days when food was always around the corner, in a neighbour’s tree or in your own backyard.

One of ten siblings, Myrtle said that food availability was a great deal better in those days, especially for a family with many mouths to feed. She shared that, “Growing up in Jonestown was not all that hard. Things were not too tough like now. When we go to buy goods today, things are so expensive.” Myrtle shared the blissful simplicity of ‘country life’. She shared that, in her youth, surviving seemed a much easier task. Because farming was what most people did, there was no need for markets or supermarkets alike. The people in those days, Myrtle said, lived simpler and far easier, and perhaps, in some way, it was better.

Although surviving and acquiring the little things was simpler some years ago, life still had its fair share of unfortunate occurrences, as a young Myrtle would soon learn. At the age of 12, Myrtle lost her mother. She remembers little of this time, but she stated that, above all else, emotions of sadness and despair resonated with her.

She left Jonestown during this time and ventured off to live with her sister. She shared that, “After my mother died, I moved to go and live with my sister.” Myrtle further explained that, given the increasingly difficult economic situations of the time, she took to doing various jobs. She said that, “I started domestic work in places like Bel Air.” Myrtle worked for a few years doing different jobs around Georgetown. Although her circumstances at the time seemed as though there was no chance of change, Myrtle’s change came in the form of her husband. Her knight in shining armour would bring her happiness, although short-lived.

At 19, Myrtle reconnected with the man who would become her husband. In the happiness and bliss surrounding the young couple, they tied the knot shortly after. Both young, ambitious, and ready to take on the world, they moved to the community of Plaisance. “We grew up together in Mahaica and then we reconnected and started going around. From there, we moved to Plaisance to live.” Myrtle’s husband was a part of one of the world’s most noble professions, that of a soldier. Being a part of the army has its challenges and own sets of risks.

As a young wife, Myrtle was fearful of her husband being hurt one day on the job. But her life was soon to change before she knew it. Myrtle got a call that her husband had died. “I never got an explanation, just a call that he had died,” she shared. Very little explanation was given because very little was known at the time. She remembers being confused as the realisation hit that she had lost her husband.

Myrtle felt as though she was thrown into a whirlwind of unpredictability and uncertainty. At the time, she was still in her early 20s. She expressed that, “I was young, and I did not really know what to do.” Still young and somewhat traumatised, Myrtle got pregnant after meeting someone else. Although she admits that at the time, with the passing of her husband, it was not the best choice, she eventually moved on and said that it worked out for the best.

Having her first child was somewhat of a wake-up call, a slap back to reality, as Myrtle describes it. She explained that now that she was in charge of a life, she had to work and that was what she did. She stated that, “I had to work for my children.” Myrtle continued to work hard, undertaking a number of jobs throughout the years, the longest being at a school. Today, Myrtle is proud of her three sons and one daughter and what they have accomplished. They take care of her the way she took care of them.