Mothers Day

Mother

Your mother is the first one to take you in her loving arms and brings you to her warm breast. She cradled you when you cried, and suckled you when you were hungry. She chased away the bad dreams with a kiss and a caress, whispering reassuring words into your ear as you slowly drifted back off to sleep. When you were ill, she worried over you and nursed you back to health. When you hurt yourself, she would kiss the minor scrapes and sooth you, as she doctored the wounds. She was there to encourage you when you were in school, even though she may not have understood the work that you were doing, she would help you to learn, just by being there and telling you that you could do it. If you failed, she would dust you off and encourage you to keep trying.
 As you grew taller and stronger, she cooked your meals to ensure that you continued grow straight and strong. She clothed you, and made sure that you were washed and ready to face the world. She corrected you when you needed it, and disciplined you when you deserved it, not with anger, but with love. The tree can only grow tall through loving care.
  If times were hard, she never let you know it. She managed to keep everything together, even as the walls were closing in, and the bill collectors were at the door; somehow, she managed to make it all work and keep the roof over your head, where it had always been. 
 Birthdays were always special, even through hard times. Mommy would bake your cake and make a fuss over you. The Winter Holidays were always special, whatever you celebrated. Even when the family was broke, she made sure that there were presents underneath the Christmas tree, or given each of the Eight days. It was always a special time, because Mom made it that way.
 Mom did not have to be your birth mom. Mom was the one who raised you and loved you and guided you through those perilous school years. She advised you when you were in love for the first time and uncertain how to what to do, she was there all of the times that your heart was broken. When you married, she fretted and worried, and then cried, because she wished for the best for her baby. She was there, for some of us, through the birth of our children. She's there to dote on and spoil the grandchildren. 
 She's always just 'Mom'. I wish that mine was still here with me, but she will always be here in spirit, through my memories of her. I cherish them all, each and every one.
  Today, we honor her with he special day with cards and flowers and gifts.  It's her Special Day; but there is not a day that we don't remember her and thank her for helping us grow up strong and for doing all the things that she did to help us succeed in this uncertain, troubled world. 
  So, to all of the Mothers out there: Happy Mother's Day, and thank you for all that you have done. None of us would be here today, if not for your special love and guidance.

 John Zaffino, May 12, 2013