How did I get so lucky? Of all of the women in this world, God saw fit to do me the miracle of giving me this mother. I must have done something really right in a past life.
When I call, she answers the phone. When I cry, she listens. When I need a hug, she’s always there.
My mother taught me everything she knows – both the good and the bad. She’s taught me some strange habits (putting the garbage inside a safety bag before it goes in the garbage bag, Mom?), but the values that she’s taught me (sometimes through her words, sometimes through her deeds) are far more important.
She taught me that it is important to be kind to people.
She taught me that friendly words go a lot further than harsh ones.
She taught me that it’s okay to have my feelings and it’s okay to talk about them.
She taught me that pursuing what I really love is not frivolous.
She taught me that telling people you love them is really, really important.
She taught me that balancing your checkbook is important, too.
She taught me that being a good writer is its own gift.
She taught me to love and respect books.
By her actions rather than her words she helped to place me on a spiritual path very early in life.
One thing she has not managed to teach me, much to both our chagrin, is how to properly use a comma. But I guess you win some and you lose some. 🙂
Just to be clear…my mom and I make each other indescribably crazy sometimes. We still push every one of each other’s buttons. But those things will never, ever eclipse the beauty and richness that my life has because she is my mother.
I am reminded of this again today because I called my mom earlier in a tizzy and she patiently and lovingly talked me through the craziness. She is my best friend, my closest confidante, and the best gift that God has ever given me.
Thanks Mom. I love you.
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PS – I had an opportunity to talk about both my parents when I graduated from the Inner Visions Institute for Spiritual Development in 2008. As I was writing this post, I watched the video again. It made me cry, as it always does – remembering how long I went without acknowledging my mom’s goodness and what a long road she and I walked together to have the relationship that we do today. You can watch that video here:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRQNUmXHBZE
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