Sunday Times 2
Archiammi on her 100th Birthday – A centenary of life and love
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Our beloved Archiammi, Enid De Silva, turns 100-years-old on May 7. As we gather to celebrate this momentous occasion, we count our blessings, and are grateful for the lifetime of sweet memories with her. The children, too, adore their great-grandmother, as she continues to spoil them with marshmallows, chocolates and sweets, demonstrating her love for the new-generation in our family as she has done for the rest of us.
Born on a leap year in 1924 in Matara, she has since stayed at her paternal home ‘Graceton’ in Negombo, then at Wellawatte, Ratmalana and now Moratuwa, rotating her home between her 5 sons and 2 daughters. Barely 5-feet tall and less than 35kg in weight, on her milestone 36,500th day and 25 leap years later, she remains a mighty force of a woman! Her ability to walk, eat, undertake personal care, survive Covid-19 and several major heart attacks, stalk Facebook profiles for potential suitors for her grandchildren, is truly inspirational for us witnessing a hero in action.
Her life has been marked by several tragedies; having to attend three of her sons’ funerals. Her love and care of her son, our beloved Uncle Jaya, who was unwell since his youth until he died in his 50s demonstrated a mother’s unconditional love and compassion towards a child. Archiammi is truly the matriarch of our family, a wonderful example of a strong, powerful woman that has emerged from that unique era, being loving, peaceful, and devout always.
Archiammi’s faith has never wavered. She continues to pray daily and listen to hymns on her music player. In the past she enjoyed visits abroad to the basilica and Church of the Apparition in Spain, and Lourdes in France, seeing the body of St Bernadette in the Chapel at Nevers, France, and Fatima in Portugal. In 1986, she joined the Legion of Mary at St Lawrence’s Church, Wellawatte, and in 1993 the ‘Pubuduwa’ (Catholic Charismatic Renewal Movement) in Moratuwa with her eldest son, Nimal. Archiammi has a talent for writing articles, poems, prayers, and biographies, and teamed up with Uncle Nimal who was the editor for New Man magazine. It was in this magazine she wrote a heartwarming article titled ‘Dear Son’ about a mother’s reflection on her undying love for a son, and the unbreakable bond it creates.
I wish you a very Happy Birthday, our dearest Ammi and Archiammi, the guiding light of our lives, from all your children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, relatives, friends and others! I hope the day brings you much happiness, something you’ve brought to so many people over the years. Everything you taught us has been engrained in our hearts and minds, and your influence in our lives manifests itself in so many ways. We are blessed to have you in our lives. You deserve the best. God bless you.
The train of life
The moment a person is born into this world,
He begins or starts on a journey,
The journey of life.
It is like a journey on a train,
With its stations, signposts, changes of route, and varying scenery.
Each and every passing year is a milepost,
Or station on his journey.
For some it is long, for some short.
The Mystery of it is that he does not know his destination,
Or when, where, or how his journey will end.
On the train of life,
There is no pausing, no stopping, no turning back,
But going on and on until his predestined and final destination is reached, and,
the end of his journey.
(This is a poem taken from the front page of Arcchiammi’s personal diary, which depicts our life journey as we chug along the track of life)