Moms play an important role in many lives. Professional athletes often mention their moms when talking about their upbringing, and who is their strongest supporter. Authors write about good men raised by strong women. These moms are women who led their children by example, and who taught them right from wrong. Moms believe in their children, and encourage them to chase their own dreams.
My mom has always encouraged me to chase my dreams. When I was younger, and just getting started writing, my mom and I had big plans. We both love to read, and often talked about how much fun we could have traveling together to do research. She would take notes and I would do the writing. Unfortunately, those plans have never come to fruition. But we still enjoy talking about our favorite authors and discussing books we’ve read, and we both have a large collection of books that our husbands wish would disappear.
We may not have traveled for research but after I lived in California for a year, Mom flew out to help me move back home to Illinois. We spent a few days sightseeing – the highlights were Disneyland, Universal Studios, and seeing Cats at the Shubert Theatre. Then we spent the long drive home talking, telling stories, laughing and just having a great road trip – making memories we still talk about to this day.
Although she lives only 30 minutes away, I haven’t been spending as much time with my mom as I should. We’re both busy with our own lives, but we share things on Facebook and tag each other often, and I make a point to call her at least once a week to check in. She’s not as young as she used to be, and for some reason, she is reluctant to call me unless something is wrong. I remind her that the phone works both ways and encourage her to call me, too, but she doesn’t want to bother me. Friends tell me their mothers do the same thing. It must be something to do with her age.
As I reflect on how important my mom has been to me, I can acknowledge that she wasn’t always thrilled with my decisions, but she always believed in me and trusted me to do the right thing. Being a parent myself, I realize how hard that is to do. You raise your kids up to set them free in the world, and yet it’s the scariest thing ever. What if they need you? What if they make mistakes? How can you save them the heartbreak that you’ve experienced? Mom put her faith in God and was the best role model she could be for us, and I am thankful every day for her example.
I am proud to say that we have long been friends, as well as mother and daughter. Being a mother, too, I recognize that all moms probably want the same thing: We want our children to be happy.
What’s that old saying? If Mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.
Today, and not just on mother’s day – make a mom happy. It doesn’t have to be your mom – it could be your aunt or your daughter, a friend, or even a stranger. Share a smile, some flowers, a book, or just a kind word. It will touch her heart, and yours as well.
