Jessica Mauboy’s emotional letter to her mum Therese on Mother’s Day
Jessica Mauboy usually sees her mum Therese every two weeks, — now it’s been months. She has penned a touching letter, revealing the moment that leaves her in tears.
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Jessica Mauboy needs connection with her family likes she needs oxygen. She usually travels from Sydney to Darwin every couple of weeks to spend time with her parents Therese and Ferdi, sisters Sandra, Jenny, Catherine and Sophia and her nieces and nephews.
But with the Northern Territory borders closed indefinitely, Mauboy is getting by with FaceTime singalongs and catch-ups.
While Mauboy and her mum will be separated on Mother’s Day this year, the We Got Love pop star will be reminiscing about all the things she loves about the family matriarch.
A letter to my mother Therese
I miss you, I miss you … and I am really missing your goose curry. It’s goose curry season and it’s always been a tradition for us for special occasions like Mother’s Day and birthdays. All the memories of those hearty meals shared together have been popping into my head since we’ve all been apart. You always make extra so we could pour that soup over rice for leftovers; my mouth is salivating thinking about it. It’s great they have relaxed some of the restrictions so the family up there can see each other again. But knowing that makes me feel even more emotional about not being with you all.
Thanks for sharing all the little details about your special dishes. I’m getting out into the garden trying to grow all the different chilli plants; I miss those amazing smells when you’re making your chilli chutney and the way you do it, how you set out all the ingredients, the whole process of it.
I know we’re all grown-up with our own families and households but you know you’re definitely the one we look to when we need advice because that is your domain. I remember we would have to ask permission to enter the kitchen: “Mum, could I make a cup of tea?’ and you would be the one to do it because you are so nurturing and mothering. How many times I have said ‘Don’t worry, Mum, sit down, I will do it.’ I love that whenever I get to Darwin, before we sit down for the cup of tea, there is something to do, a chance to hang out while we clean up around the house or yard, so it’s ready for the day. We all have so much respect for how you care for our family.
You know my album Hilda was as much for you as it was inspired by your mum and the stories you shared with me about Hilda. I’ll always be so proud of that record because of that. It was about me letting you know I see you, I want to understand you and what you have gone through in your life, after losing your mum when you were only a little girl. All the blood and sweat and tears. Butterfly was the song I wrote just for you, about the times you felt like screaming (probably thanks to us!) or wanted to be somebody else. It was a song to say you are free.
But it was also about how you inspire me to be the best person I can be, to be just like you, resilient and strong and brave and always thinking of others. And to connect with that deepest spirituality within all of us. I love the way you carry that in your life, how you just got on with things even when they were out of your control.
One of your greatest teachings has been to not look forward in your life expecting something from everyone. You’ve got to do it yourself. Although maybe you could let us get into the kitchen and cook with you! At least now I realise I have picked up so many things from watching you, I do so many things like you – even Themeli (her partner) has picked up on that – and I love that.
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There is something about hearing your voice that makes me know I am alive, it awakens something in me and I know that might sound weird. Hearing your voice has always been a real comfort to me, when I would walk in the door when I got home. Hearing you play your favourite songs; I’ll always remember one of the first songs you ever played me was Words by the Bee Gees and every time I listen to it or try to sing it, I get choked up. That song comes on and I know I need to ring you. I feel like Words is almost my letter to you: “A smile could bring you near to me.”
And I love how our extended “bye, bye, bye” has caught on with the whole family after every phone call now, how you won’t hang up first and just keep repeating ‘bye, bye, bye” You know you have to hang up but you won’t and it cracks me up every single time, especially now Themeli plays the “bye bye bye” game with you too. The new family competition.
Mum, you should be so proud of who you are and everything you have done for us. Look at your girls, look at your grandchildren. You should feel invincible, to be honest, to look at the family you and Dad have made. It takes my breath away when I think about everything you have gone through in your life and done for us and I hope to be as incredible a woman as you are. That is what I hope and pray for myself.
I love you, mum.
Originally published as Jessica Mauboy’s emotional letter to her mum Therese on Mother’s Day