When we were shooting the TV programme on the teachers I said that our very first teachers are our parents. But the very very first teacher (before anybody else at all) is Mum, of course. She’s there even when the future “me” is no more than a tiny dot. Then we all become grown-up and independent, but our mother’s love, care and affection protect us all our lives. Every child knows that if your mother believes in you it makes you stronger, more beautiful and kinder than anyone else. There’s nothing you cannot achieve!

Sunday 29th November is Mother’s Day in Russia and I’ve put together a programme dedicated to mothers. It consists of three features. The first is about the incredibly difficult and surprisingly inspiring lives of mothers whose fate has been to bring up a handicapped child. What strength and generosity of spirit these women have! What amazing inner optimism!

The second feature is about the happiness of mothers who bring up not only their own children, but foster-children as well. How do you make them all one happy family - real brothers and sisters? How do you share out your time and spiritual warmth so that there is enough for everyone? How do you remain loving and patient when you’re simply dropping from exhaustion?

The third feature will be about my own mother. Through her, I want to say thank you to all mothers…mothers who love, sometimes with a difficult love, because teaching someone to cope with problems is very difficult. It requires not only patience, but also an ability often to sacrifice your own interests and pleasures for the sake of your child.

Mother’s Day is a quiet holiday. There are no gun salutes or fireworks on this day, because after all, mothers don’t need extravagant ceremonies. Mothers love us not for anything in particular, but simply because we exist. Is this not the basis of all our successes in life?

This week’s “Steps towards Success” is dedicated to our nearest and dearest, at 1130 on REN TV on Sunday 29 November. As always, the programme will be repeated the following Monday – on 30th November at 0015.