Dear Mom,
Your birthday came and went, and I wanted to give this letter to you, then. But Mother’s Day was on its way, so I decided to wait till then, because you deserve to be celebrated on both days, and I knew I wouldn’t get to be with you on Mother’s Day. So I’m writing this now to tell you how much I believe in you and how much I know you deserve the celebration and honor of Mother’s Day.
It’s been nineteen years. Nineteen years of your love, patience, and support. Nineteen years of you unfailingly reassuring me, unfailingly being by my side, unfailingly doing everything you can to lead me to a better life than ever before. Nineteen years of you being my mother.
You have taught me so much. You taught be about compassion, grace, honesty, and patience for others. When my brother and cousins were born, you taught me to hold them safely and comfortably, knowing how much I loved them and wanted to show them that love. You also tried to teach me to cook, and any shortcomings in that department are entirely my fault. So sorry about that.
When people look at us, they exclaim at how much we look alike. “You are just a carbon copy of your mother!” they exclaim. They see our green eyes and our light brownish-blonde hair (or they did before I started dying mine purple) and the way we teach our classes, and the resemblance is obvious. I have always found it so funny, and I know you have, too, because while we look exactly alike, we really are quite different. Where you are emotional, I am logical. Where you are sentimental, I am practical. Where you are gentle and mediating, I am instigating and argumentative. I find it hilarious.
We talk a lot about how different you and I are and how similar I am to my dad. I think something we don’t talk about often, however, is the fact that the biggest similarity between me and Dad is the amount of things that we have learned from you. We certainly would be very different people without you. I like to think I’m a good person, and I like to think I got some of that from you. I think you taught me many of my best traits, or at least some of the traits that I value the most.
You taught me all about kindness, compassion, sympathy, and treating others with grace. You also taught me that kindness and forgiveness were not signs of a naive spirit, but one of wisdom. You showed me that being vulnerable was not the same as being weak, but actually took a lot of courage. You proved through example that the love that you give was not meant to be doled out like a finite currency, but rather showered on whoever would receive it, because love can be infinite.
I think, more than anything, you taught me about the quiet and unexpected strengths that people have. You walk out the door of our house every day with a smile on your face and cheer in your voice. It was only recently that I was able to recognize that smile as the armor you wear, a warning and a statement to the world that nothing could make you think each day did not deserve to be greeted with that smile and the brightness it contained. The cheer in your voice and the encouragement you give to others is your battle cry, and you rally your troops with faith and joy.
You give everything you have to those you love, and hold out your hand, hoping but never demanding for your loyalty and kindness and grace to be reciprocated. I want you to know, even if I don’t always do a good job of showing it, that I admire your tenacity and your incessant kindness. I admire your strength, your courage, your constant ability to support anyone and everyone. You are a hero.
Happy Mother’s Day, Mom. I love you.
Love,
Leigh
