When one is younger, some things don’t seem to matter as much as when one gets older. As children, we depend on our parents, especially our mothers for almost everything. In most families, dad is the principal breadwinner so he’s not as involved in the child-rearing process as mum. Not that we don’t love and appreciate our dads as much as our mums but mothers always play a very special role in our lives and so as I grow older, I appreciate the time I get to spend with my mother a lot more.

Thanks to SK-II and Buro 247, I was invited to tea at the Ritz Carlton yesterday afternoon to celebrate Mother’s Day with other guests of SK-II and Buro 247. Any time spent with mum is wonderful and every moment spent with her in any activity is treasured simply because she is ageing and so am I. I never used to think like this when I was younger so I have to say time makes a difference in how much I love and appreciate mum.

In the elegant and refined ambiance of Ritz Carlton’s Lobby Lounge, we were ushered to our seats and waiting for us was a bottle of SK-II Spring Butterfly Limited Edition Facial Treatment Essence for each of us. That was enough to bring a huge smile to mum’s face. This will surely be mum’s staple skincare for months to come.

Bonding time over tea (loved the Ritz Carlton’s special blend as it’s like green tea, only much better and exclusive), scones, pastries and delicious sandwiches. On each table was a stack of cards with questions for mother and daughter. I could ask my mum whether she’d meted out some punishment to me which she thought was unfair but then I couldn’t ask my mum that question because I can’t remember ever having been punished by mum so you could say I was an obedient kid or that mum was the most patient person.

The five words that best describe my mum are compassionate, caring, giving, nurturing and strong. In so many ways, mum changed my destiny by shaping me into who I am today, confident in my own skin. She let me be whatever I wanted to be yet she guided me in ways which I will always appreciate her for. Mum was never a strict disciplinarian, perhaps that’s why I was never a straight ‘A’ student but she gave me priceless and invaluable gifts such as a love for language, culture and life. There’re some things that money just can’t buy and although I am no angel, I’d like to think that many of mum’s good qualities and values have rubbed off on me. Hopefully, mum is as proud of me as I am of her.

We were shown how to fold an origami butterfly by an expert. I could hardly follow the instructions, not because they weren’t clear but simply because I’ve never been any good at hand crafts. I can draft essays and blog posts with ease but just don’t ask me to fold anything. That’s like rocket science to me.

Being treated to a sumptuous tea and gifted with SK-II Facial Treatment Essence really made mum’s day. My mum deserves the best and SK-II has no equal when it comes to making her feel so special. I want my mum to know that I love her dearly and that I truly value the years she’s spent giving all her love to her family. SK-II and Buro 247 will always have my deepest appreciation for giving mum and I an afternoon that we will cherish for years to come.