I spent some time with my father-in-law this afternoon and we were talking about my mum-in-law’s life.  She sadly passed away 8 months ago, and we all really miss her as she was one of those people who always had a smile on her face and got on with everyone, young and old alike.  But I learnt some new things about her life today which made me reflect on just how hard she worked and why she is such an inspiration to us. She left school at the age of seven in 1939 and worked on her parent’s farm and helped with household chores.  Yet even though she had a very limited education, she was a fluent reader and writer of her birth language, Gujarati.  She was also an expert at knitting, crochet and needlework making clothes for her children and to sell.  She made cushion covers, patchwork duvets, intricately embroidered tablecloths – I have some in my house.  She was a master cook and she even found time to run a newsagents in London for 11 years.  In between, she’d raised 4 children and 2 of her 8 grandchildren. In fact, she was running her house and getting on with things until 2 weeks before her death when she went into hospital.  Reflecting back on her happy life brings home the fact that you don’t need lots of money or a fancy education to make a success of your life and be a true inspiration to your family.

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