Dear Mom,
With Mother's Day being this Sunday, I wanted to take this opportunity to tell you all the ways I've felt and seen your love for me.
It begins 9 months before you gave birth to me on April 30th, 1965. A young couple about to embark on bringing their first child into the world. Only 20 years old with no idea what the next 60 + years would bring other than the little golden haired baby nestled in your arms.
You loved to tell stories about what life was like with you, dad, me and a little black cat named Lucky in a little house up on a hill right near Knoebels Grove.
Then came Lisa, Suzie, Joselle and Christian. I don't remember what happened to Lucky the cat, but Candy the miniature black poodle came next. We moved to the house on Stetler Drive and made fast friends for the next 10 years of our lives. You made some best friends while we lived in Shamokin; several that are still like family today. What I remember most was how simple life was.
Back then we played outside all day, unless we were in school. We made huts in the woods and came home when it was getting dark for dinner. We sat on the front porch and ate popsicles and then went off again for another night time game with the neighborhood gang.
You were always busy in your hair salon you ran out of our home. It was a fulltime job, but because it was in our house and your customers all being our neighbors, friends and acquaintances; it felt like you were always there for us. Somehow you made it to our games in between clients and our home was always a place filled with love, warmth and delicious food.
When I turned 16 and found out we were moving to a town called Wyomissing our relationship as mom and daughter changed. I became your confidant, neither of us knew anyone in our new town. You confided in me about some of your challenges in a new town and I felt more bonded to you than ever.
With your resourcefulness and you and dad working as a team our family put down some solid roots in our new surroundings. But before too long I was graduating high school and going off to college. It was our first separation and I remember how much you cried on the way home from you and dad bringing me to Penn State that first semester. It was the first time I was living on my own without you and while I thought it was thrilling, I know how much you missed me.
As the oldest, I was usually the first to do things and I remember when I went off to France for a summer to be an au pair. It is a testamant to you and dad that you let me go for everything I came to you with. Rarely did you ever shoot down my dreams, whether it was flying to france to be an au pair for a summer or continuing my education after college to become a fashion designer in NYC. You simply believed in me and that made all the difference.
The past 30 years have been about us all as children growing up, having families of our own and finding our vocations in life through trial & error. You and dad went on to work together to build up a business you bought while I was still a student at Penn State. WORLD electronics gave us all a new way of life thanks to dad's risk taking, finding good people to work at the business and taking care of those employees like family. The way you have of nurturing everyone who knows you like they are part of our family has been an integral part of your success.
When dad first started to not feel well later in life we had no idea that his run would soon be coming to an end. It took over three years for him to move past this life and become our angel and to give me a new inspiration for my future. Your part in this I know was excruciating, we had our moments, we had our hardships and we came back to love. That time was the most difficult I had ever experienced and even though we were at odds for the first time in our life, I understood that it was your way of trying to control something in your life when you felt powerless with what was happening to the love of your life.
Now, 9 years later we are facing a new challenge. It's Mother's Day this Sunday and your grandchildren will all be here to celebrate with you as well as all your children. We are planning on a day of celebration, gratitude, & love.
So, how do you really show up for your mom when she needs you? That is what I have been thinking about since I learned my mom has breast cancer. I believe she will beat it and be with us another 20 years; however, I also know that it is going to be a really hard summer for her and I want to be there as much as I can so that she isn't scared, so that she is able to enjoy her life and all that she has built and sacrificed for. I want to make sure I am a doer and not a talker.
You deserve to have that mom.
As moms we do so much for our children. Stuff most of us wouldn't dream of doing for any other soul, but when our kids need us man we just do it. I can hear her reminiscing now as we go from a Dr appointment to a nursery to buy flowers. She was just talking about the different scary times we had in our family and how she powered through it. I would even call her when I was going through moments with my kids and didn't know what to do; somehow having my mom there gave me the support I needed to get through it.
I don't know how all this will turn out, but I believe we will be in a better place by September and I know that this Sunday will be an important day for my mom and for all our family as we celebrate her.
I hope every mom is made to feel appreciated, I hope every mom realizes that what she does is so incredibly important and I hope all the mom's out there Have Some Fun Today!
Thank you mom for all you have done and all that you are - I love you.
We at Have Some Fun Today are celebrating this Mother's Day with a special sitewide sale for 30% off with the code: MothersDay
Sending you all much love .....
Love & Light,
#mothersday #loveletter #mom #breastcancer #havesomefuntoday
1 comment
What a beautiful tribute to your mom; I’m sure your loving words mean more than any gift. Sending prayers for healing her way. Happy Mother’s Day!