Dear Mom

  

Dear Mom,

It is Mother’s Day and I just wanted to share why I love you and why you mean so much to me. I want to thank you for allowing me to choose you as my mother. You are one of the strongest women I have ever met. You lived your life with the struggle of diabetes from childhood before they really understood the disease. Even as it slowly broke down your body, you were strong. You lost your baby girls before me and yet you were strong enough to love and have both Faith and I. I know you loved us with all your heart. Your will to live, was a powerful thing to behold.

You took care of me when I was sick, bandaged me when I was hurt, protected me when I couldn’t protect myself, made sure that I learned everything that I possibly could, and talked me through my troubles. You read to me until I learned to read, and then you made sure that I continued to read. You instilled in me a thirst for knowledge for all things. I learned from you how to find out what I wanted to know. You did these things selflessly, even when you did not feel well. You made sure we had good food to eat, and clothes to wear even though they were not what everyone else had. As a young person, I was embarrassed that my clothes were not as in style as my classmates, yet as I grew older I realized it is the person inside that is what is important, not their appearance. I learned that from you. I learned from you that family was the most important thing in my life, and that money and possessions do not create happiness. We had good times, tough times, happy times, and sad times, yet our family stuck together through it all. I struggled through some tough times when I FEEL YOU LEANED ON ME TOO HEAVILY 

You taught me to love just as fiercely as you did. Yes, you were strict and perhaps you felt bad about it sometimes. That was probably was what I needed to become the person I am. You never babied me and it made me a stronger person with the ability to say no to people and to walk away from people when needed. I learned from you that love is the most important aspect of our lives and I am learning what you meant when you said I have to love myself. All that makes me who I am came from you and the wonderful man you chose as your husband. You were a blessing in my life as were my grandmothers and my aunts. I would not be who I am today without you. I thank you for being the mother I needed you to be. I know we had our differences sometimes, I forgive you and I forgive me for all of our perceived misconceptions and imperfections.

I love you still and I always will. I miss your talks, your voice, and your hugs. One day we will meet on the other side.

Love Always,

Me,