My Mother

I’m thankful for the fact that when I couldn’t speak, she understood me. When I couldn’t move she showed me the world. When I crawled, she cleared a safe path for me. As I began to run, she always encouraged me to find my own way, while never discouraging me when I got lost.

After all this care, love, and protection, she had the courage to let me go and I’m thankful she kindly nudged me out of the warm nest she created for me and my brother.

As an adult, who towers over her five feet nothing of absolute awesomeness, her quick gaze can remind me to be humble and recall that life’s not a puzzle to be solved but an expansive map to be explored.

She has stood beside me through my best and worst moments and always looks at me with the gentlest eyes that share no hint of the story of the pain I’m sure I’ve caused her. I can’t fathom the strength it takes to love so unconditionally. The strength it takes to quietly bare the burden of a tumultuous and melancholy teen, and then continue to watch with unwaivering support from a distance as a part of you stumbles and trips while staring off cliff after cliff in to the abyss chasing their dreams.

Mom — thank you for teaching what it feels like to be loved. Thank you for being the strongest most amazing woman I will ever know.

This note was sent to my mother for her birthday.