In the spirit of Mother’s Day, I would like to tell an important story. A story that deserves to be told because it only demonstrates the influence that my mother holds on my values and way of thinking. I’d like to thank her for all that she has done to care for me and ensure I have the best chance of succeeding.
My mother was always the strongest person I knew. That was very apparent to me from the very beginning.
She hardly showed any weakness. If she cried, she did it in private. She never complained, her support never faltered. No task was too hard or too much for her.
She ran the household, she had a job and she made sure to give us all the love she possibly could. This is what I believed to be strength.
I can’t remember when my mom got sick, but I remember the first time I saw her cry. I was shocked. I wasn’t sure what to think. This deviated so far from what I believe strength looked in a person that I grew resentful of her medical problems.
My life changed from that point forward.
My mom wasn’t the person I knew. She couldn’t do all the things she had once done. She was forced to leave her job that provided major support to our family.
She had to stay in the hospital for several months. It was hard for us but it was even harder for her.
She loathed herself and I believe she still does, for not being able to be super mom. She couldn’t clean the house anymore without being in pain afterward. She couldn’t wear the heels she loved any longer. She couldn’t go to theme parks with us or tour college campuses. I understood most times. She didn’t.
She would cry because it was so hard to lose that part of her. My mom is the type of woman that pushes forward. This was something that would not simply go away eventually.
Oftentimes, I feel selfish. I feel selfish because I lose my patience. I forgot to consider how hard it is for her and I get angry. I get angry that my mom can’t be supermom. I get angry that she can’t go on campus tours with me. She definitely does not deserve my anger because, in spite of her ailments, she tries.
Everything she does, it’s for my sibling and me.
My mom is still the strongest person I know. She has redefined what that word means to me. She fights against all the obstacles that come her way. She does her best to be the mom we need. She supports us and loves us unconditionally.
In a period where she should be thinking about herself, she still finds a way to put us first.
My mother is not only the strongest but the BEST person I know. I hope she finds a way to value herself because everyone around her couldn’t do it without her. I hope she understands that I would be lost without her presence. I hope she sees that regardless of our past problems, I would not be the person I am if it were not for her. I pray that I get to be half the woman she is one day.
Thank you, mom.
