Dear Mom,
Many have told me, that once I became a mother, I’d understand you better... and I kinda blew it off. I’m pretty good at seeing things from other people’s shoes. But... I can admit, I was wrong.
I just “get it” a little more than I could before. Now I picture you so clearly, sitting in your wooden rocking chair, nursing your little babies at all hours of the night. The house dark, silent, and knowing how dad liked to save on heat… it was probably quite chilly too.
You gave us everything you had. Your body, your energy… your every last nerve, you gave to my sisters and me. Starting with 9 months of sharing your body with another life, (Not to mention the indescribable pain of natural birth! Which you did THREE times!), followed by months of sleepless nights! But it only starts there. It’s really about all of the tiny moments that come after that. The countless times that moms put themselves second. It’s really hard, but moms do it happily.
I understand now, that part of you leaves your body and then becomes someone independent of you. Suddenly their hunger, their comfort and needs become more important than your own. So when that tiny baby grows up, and goes through a “14 year old rebellious stage”, ouch, that has got to hurt and hurt really deep. I have said sorry for that a thousand times, but I know I can’t say sorry enough. :) But I also know, you have forgiven me.
You are my hair stylist, human spell check, wedding florist, birthday event planner, dad translator, and biggest fan. You were the first to know when a boyfriend was bad news, and the first to know that Abraham was the one! I am proud to say, “Mom, you were right!”
Motherhood is hard and often thankless. So, thank you mom. Thank you for all the times I forgot to say thank you.
I love you,
Sarah
