Thanking Mom For Her Love

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Wednesday - May 06, 2009

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Mother’s Day is coming up, everyone. Do something for her, even if you can’t afford fancy dinners or flowers. It’s just nice to acknowledge the person who probably loves you more than life itself.

I know relationships are complex and varied. Very few of us live up to society’s, or even our own, expectations. As mothers and as children, we often disappoint. We fight. We take each other for granted. We hurt one another in sometimes awful ways. And we grow apart.

That’s why Mother’s Day can be such an opportunity. Yeah, I know it has become commercialized and crass and obligatory.

That’s too bad, because it doesn’t have to be that way. You don’t have to splurge on an expensive brunch or pricey lei to let her know what she means to you. Instead of buying a mass-produced card, you could write her a letter. Sometimes you just have to tell her. And if you’re like me, you haven’t always done that.

But Mom, you deserve to know. Thank you for your strength. It could-n’t have been easy for you, with a husband in the military and five kids, all close in age, to raise alone. You were the one who held things together when Dad was deployed for months on end. You worked, you kept house and you taught us the life lessons we needed to learn to become good, caring, honest citizens. How did you do it all?

Thank you for your goodness. I get impatient sometimes because you seem naïve and almost childish in your view of the world. But that’s only because you are pure of heart. You see the best in people and tend to give them the benefit of the doubt, unless, of course, you think they are trying to hurt one of your own. And speaking of that ...

Thank you for your loyalty. According to you, our dad is the cutest, most talented and most loveable man on earth. There is no doubt in your mind that your children are all smart and your grandchildren even smarter. We may pretend we get tired of your constant praise and lavish affection but don’t for a moment believe it. We may act irritated when you worry about us, but secretly we’re comforted. We know you will always be there for us. And you believe in us, unconditionally.

Thank you for your forgiving heart. I know I’ve done things that have hurt you. I’ve said things that made you cry. I’m sorry for it all, but I know you know that. And I know you have never, even for a moment, withheld one iota of your love.

And thanks most of all for that - your love. You showed it to us in so many ways. I remember your cool hand on my burning forehead when I was sick. I remember you singing me to sleep at night. I remember your pride when I brought home my report cards, and the pain you felt whenever I got hurt or humiliated.

Even our arguments - I realize they were expressions of your love and your determination to protect me from the world and from my often hotheaded, impulsive self. It didn’t always work - but, hey, you tried.

I know I speak for the rest of my family when I say you are the heart and soul of us. We are so lucky that you brought us into this world. And we love you.

Thank you for being our Mom.