Honor Your Mother and Your Father

I’m so blessed to still have my mother with me.  She inspires me to be a better person.  She has always been so strong.  She has always been my go to person for wisdom.  I may not take her advise, but I value it all the same.  She admits to having made mistakes like we all do and we laugh at those same mistakes we both have made.

I’ll never know all the sacrifices she has made for us 8 children.  I know she has known hunger and poverty like I’ve never known.  Her children have always come first and foremost.  She won’t talk about the bad times when asked.  She has always lived for us 8 kids.

I went to lunch with her this week and as usual we fought over the check.  She usually wins because she gives me that look and the tone in her voice tells me you are not going to have your way today.  She feels she owes me for doing for her which is so funny because I owe her for doing for me for my 65 years.  Telling her daily I love her does not seem like enough.  Driving her to do errands, helping with chores, or doing her laundry is not enough.  Showing my love and respect is not enough.  Praying for her is not enough.  She has raised 8 children pretty much by herself.  Dad was always working to support us 8 and I know that the money often did not go very far.  However; we always had food on the table, clean and pressed clothes to wear, a clean home, discipline (but never once spanked), a Christmas and birthday, and we knew we were loved. 

As a small child I remember writing her a poem to say I loved her on Mother’s Day.  She fussed over it so and  a few years ago she gave it back to me so I would have that memory. She saves everything.  When I was about 8 years old, I remember going into the local five and dime (Schultz’s) and buying her a cheap bottle of perfume that maybe cost 25 cents and she made a big fuss over it even though a sister laughed at me and put me down because it was so cheap.  I guess I don’t have to do anything grand to say I love her.  She just needs me to keep saying it and often.  I love you mom and thanks for always being there.

PS:  She is a great hugger too.  You know you have been hugged when she holds you tight.