Dear Mom

If you know me fairly well, you know how much I love my mother. She is my most favorite person on this planet. Of all the strong women I know, and I know many, she is the strongest. She has nothing but purely unconditional love for me, my sister, and my father.

Throughout history, there have been strong mothers. The first one that comes to mind is Mary, mother of Jesus. I may not venerate her as much as Catholics do, but I do respect her. In fact, I stand in awe of Mary. Can you imagine the strength of spirit required to be Jesus’ mom? That is a post in itself, which I will probably write someday.

So let us return to my mother. She has taught me so many things, but I will focus on three for today. They will focus primarily on the concept of love. Refer to 1 Corinthians 13.

Love is Patient
Patience is so much more than the ability to endure a child’s temper tantrum or sit through 2 hours of Winnie the Pooh. While my mom is good at both things, there is so much more to explore. Patience has a lot to do with forgiveness and mercy. I cannot fully recall every time I have exasperated or disappointed my mom. I also cannot recall the number of times she has rinsed off the slate and given me the chance to try again. Love bears all things. 

Love Perseveres
Perseverance – resilience – is made possible partially through practicing patience. My mother definitely knows how to persevere, how to keep on going. She comes from a large family with a mother of her own who loved her deeply. The day my granny died was a hard one. Mom’s heart was broken. But even in the midst of that brokenness, she was a rock for my sister and I. She consistently put our needs and emotions before her own – another marker of a strong mother. In the midst of her own sorrow, she took it one day at a time. It has been that way ever since. My mom never gives up on us or herself. Love never fails.

Love Does Not Boast
My mother is humble, sometimes to a fault. I have always thought she underestimates herself. That woman is fiercely intelligent. Part of being smart is working hard, and she does that too. She is the most observant person I know – she sees so much before I ever do. Yes, she has been right many, many times! Of course, wisdom is a big part of intelligence, so that makes sense. But the thing I love about her is that she doesn’t advertise any of this with pridefulness. She just simply is all these things – they speak for themselves. She teaches me to let my gifts speak for themselves. She is a woman of action. Love never ceases.

So thank you, Mom, for teaching me these three things and so much more. I want to be just like you when I grow up. I love you so very much.