Very shortly after Mother’s Day, I posted a little tribute to my dad. So, I thought it only fitting that today’s Father’s Day post should be about my mom!
My mom is a hero to me. If she were sitting here watching me type this, she would say, “Oh no, Honey, don’t write that! I’m not a hero!” But she is.
I do not have any recollection, EVER, of my mother telling me that I wasn’t capable of something, or downplaying any of my dreams. Not ever. This is extraordinary in and of itself, except that my mother wasn’t raised in the same way.
Although my grandparents were wonderful, healthy fixtures in my life, they had, by that time, recovered from some pretty hard times that were pervasive in my mother’s life. Alcoholism and depression defined their day-to-day existence, and my mother, being the oldest of five children, was pretty much in charge of raising her younger brothers and sisters. She didn’t have the luxury of being able to be involved in school activities very often; however, on occasion, she would enter a piece of her beautiful artwork in a contest. Thinking they were sparing her disappointment, her parents would “prepare” her for the likelihood of losing, rather than encouraging her for the possibility of succeeding.
It is remarkable to me that my mom decided to break this pattern in her own little family. She didn’t allow the troubles of the past to continue on into the next generation. In her own quiet way, she encouraged my gifts, built me up in front of others, supported my efforts toward everything in which I was involved with her time and her own talents. I find myself saying, more often than not, “I can do that”, when faced with a task that needs to be tackled or an opportunity that may require a lot from me. I am that way because of my mom. In direct contrast to how she was raised, she never set me up to fail; she always believed I could succeed, and helped me believe it, too.
For this, and a thousand other reasons, you are my hero, Mom. I’m so thankful for you! So, count this as a cyber-hug, and give Dad a kiss for me. It IS Father’s Day, after all. :o)