She walked with me through some of the most ridiculous things I have ever done... It seems that when I felt unstable, blowing with whatever wind there happened to be, she was steady, present, and prepared to walk me through it.
She was not phased when after meeting Travis, we were married only six months later. She walked with me through that one too.
My mom is a rock. No other word. She feeds on the Rock of Ages, more steady than mountains that shift with time.
And beautiful.
My mom taught me to count my blessings. I remember laying with her, in the king size bed under the windows, at night or in the morning listening to the doves sing out, and she would say "Always count your blessings". And we would count together, starting with the sounds of the morning doves outside our window. So many blessings.
My mom sees beauty in the simplest things. She knows the kind of joy that exists regardless of circumstances, something I only recently feel I can even grasp at.
My mom loves an iced Diet Coke and a good book.
And flowers. The kind you grow...
My mom gave me a love for creating, art and music and beautiful things. A love for imagination.
She is probably the smartest person I know, and taught me that you can never stop learning.
She always told me I could do anything I wanted to if I put my mind to it.
She took me to the Dallas/Fort Worth Airport on my 21st birthday to catch my plane to Delhi, India. I would be there for 9 months. She helped me raise about $1000 with a garage sale so I could go. We sold so much stuff that weekend, we still refer back to that when we can't find something. "Must have sold it in that garage sale".
She didn't want me to go to India, but she loved me enough to help me get there.
Why did I spend so much of my early years wishing I could grow up faster? I left home at 16 and went to college, living in a dorm away from my family. I've been away ever since. My mom would come have dinner with me every Tuesday, rain or shine. We'd eat together in the dorm cafeteria. I enjoyed it for the most part, but I used to get frustrated too- I wanted to eat with my friends, especially my first 'serious' boyfriend during my second year at UNT.
I wish I could have dinner every Tuesday with my mom now.
My mom and I got to visit Washington DC together in December last year. We discovered the national gardens and were delighted! We got on separate planes to head our separate ways after that- me to Houston and Mom to Amarillo. I got to see her at Christmas after that, but not since then.
I miss my mom.
Every year I learn something new and wonderful about my mom. She is the most beautiful person I know. I know she has always been that way, I've just grown to appreciate it more and more. And I've come to need it more and more- that steady beauty, full of grace, love unwavering, strength at hand.
Dear Mom- I love you, you are my heart and I love you and miss you. Thank you for everything, thank you for being there even though the many miles separate us. I hope I can be more and more like you every day.
Happy Mother's Day.
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