“Dreaming mother”, essay by Ebru Ahmedova

On the occasion of June 10, Roma Women’s Day, we share with you very personal and emotional essay sent to us by our volunteer Ebru Ahmedova.

The dreams…

  “A person is only as big as his dreams” – Antoine de Saint Exupery.

            Dreaming is the greatest thing! Then you are able to imagine yourself in any roles. When you dream your destiny and the fate of the planet is in your hands and you become one such success… You are able to change the destiny of all people, and while someone dreams of power, strength and becoming a super hero, my mother had one a very small, very small dream… to become a hairdresser.

            Mom’s story begins like this:

            When she was my age, she also loved to dream like I do now. She wanted to have a little corner where show her capabilities  and be of service to everyone with her talent. She knew how to do makeup, hairstyles and another procedures. When there were weddings in the villages, mom’s friends sought her help. That’s how she found her field, but her father’s will stood in the way of realizing it. Mom knew that if she wanted to realize this dream of hers, she would need an education and worked hard at school. She was attentive and diligent, but my grandfather, like the most of his friends at the time, thought that education was not necessary for girls and excluded her from school. Following the traditions, she created a family, raised my brother and me, and her dream was deeply buried. Her life proceeds like many people in Bulgaria, crossing from one country to another in order to ensure the existence of the family. Naturally, mom is subscribed to low-skilled work and manages to cope with long-hour work. Then, when mom has completely despaired of ever being able to make her dreams come true, she meets people who know how they can help her. They make her belive in her dreams again. And mom decides to fight. She returns to where it all ended. Mom is going back to school. She had to pass trough my classroom, we were sitting on the same level. How did I take it?

            I could only be proud of such a mother who fights for her dreams and my classmates accepted her as part of the class. Everyone supported her and enjoyed her zest. Mom thought me that it’s never too late for a new beginning. She become dad’s inspiration and he also completed his primary education.

            I hope that with this story I have ignited at least one small spark in you that education is the way to dreams and success.