Mom's

Yes, I know its kitsch and everyone is probably writing about their mother because Mother's Day is on Sunday but I don't really care.


Moms are amazing people. They have a capacity for love that is quite unfathomable. They're self-sacrificing, have an undeniable amount of strength, have a mind that's filled with knowledge about the most diverse topics, and put up with tantrums, mood-swings, ungratefulness, and sometimes even hatred. It's a thankless job, it takes forever to see the returns for the years of work you put in and the stress and pressure often leads to mental breakdowns.


My mother is no exception. My parents were married until I was 13. My dad well, we'll just call him an absentee father (don't get me wrong, I love my dad but, parenting skills were never his forte). So, I was basically raised by my mother, and after their separation I really was raised by my mother. She has a strength that I can't even begin to describe. She showed her love in so many different ways but never compromised on teach us good morals and ethics. She never missed volleyball games, dance recitals, play openings, basketball games, football games, band concerts, choir concerts, swim meets, or anything else the three of us were involved in. She wielded punishments in a fair way, and though a couple of times she lost her temper, she knew when to scold and when to let us fall on our faces. She hugged us when we cried, chided us into laughing when we were mad for silly reasons, listened to us while we were ranting, and dispensed advice whether we wanted to hear it or not. She raised us well while working two jobs, going to school, and being a community leader for our church, did I mention this was after she separated from my father? She encouraged us to dream, set goals, defy expectations, and instilled in all of us a very strong work ethic (although I suspect we get this from dad as well).

I am able to be the woman I am because of her. I have the values and a moral compass that points in a good direction because of her. I will someday be a good mother because of her. I am who I am in everyway because of her.