Dear Mom and Dad,
I am a mom now, and I can hardly believe that. It is so wonderful. It is so tough. And being a mom to my little son has already taught me about both of you. Recently, someone asked me how life as a new mom was, and wondered what the most surprising thing about being a parent was.
I said that what surprised me most was the overwhelming love I immediately had for my son, and the reality hitting me of how you really do have to sacrifice everything for your child (and how utterly willing you are to sacrifice literally anything to make sure they are cared for, loved and protected). I also explained that being a parent has helped me realize just how much my own parents have sacrificed for me over the years, and has helped me see and understand what unconditional love is and truly means.
While we never had any years that were absolutely terrible, we did have our moments, disagreements and struggles. I see now that no matter what was going on between us, your ultimate goal was for my good. Now that I am a parent, I think of how I want to raise my son as he gets older, and I realize more than ever how love prompted all that you did for me. Sure, there were moments where anger or frustration, or any number of things got the best of you (We're all human. It's okay.). But whether I was being disciplined, we argued, or I was discouraged, happy, or down – in every circumstance we faced, you made sure to keep the overpowering focus as love. And you do that still, to this day.
The love a parent has for a child is a special, overwhelming, unconditional type of love. Words are inadequate to convey what it is like and what it means. It is a type of love that can only be felt and understood once you have a child of your own. Now that I'm a mom, I understand this love and I see that that is the type of love you have always shown me and my siblings, and I thank you for that.
And the sacrifices? Wow. I never really understood what sacrifice meant until I had my little guy. I never really understood the incredible amount that you both sacrificed to love, support, and provide for me and my siblings. From late nights, early mornings and a general lack of sleep. From career and monetary sacrifices, to emotional and physical sacrifices. For simply sacrificing an inordinate amount of your time and personal space in always being there, always supporting, always encouraging. I'm not sure you will ever fully understand what that means. What it means to have parents who take seriously their responsibility to parent. What it means to have parents that support your every endeavor.
In this new adventure of motherhood, I definitely worry about who I am as a parent. Will I love him the way I should? Will I protect him as I should? Will I nurture him successfully? Will I actually be able to teach him right from wrong? The list of questions and worries goes on and on. But when I think about the type of parent I want to be, I look at the examples I have had my entire life, and I hope that I can be even half as good a parent as you both were and are to me and my siblings. Are you perfect? Obviously not. Nobody is though! Your love helped me learn how to love unconditionally. Your moments of failure have helped me learn to accept failure more gracefully. Your dedication to each other and family have taught me what is really important in life, and to persevere no matter what the circumstances. Your joy in life has taught me to look for joy in more places – regardless of the circumstances.
A quote I found on Pinterest from Sharon Jaynes sums it up well. It says, “Successful mothers are not the ones that have never struggled. They are the ones that never give up, despite the struggles.” This goes for dads just as much as it does moms. You both are successful parents, because even though you've gone through plenty of struggles and difficult times, you never gave up on love. You never gave up on each other. You never gave up on your commitment to your family. Thank you for the example you have set for me. I hope I can live up to that standard as I continue on this beautiful new journey of motherhood.
Love,
Hannah
