This past Sunday was mother's day and I was just thinking about everything my mother did for me through the years. My mother is such a strong woman. She had to raise my brother and me alone through my teenage years and my brother's teenage years.
I think I honestly took her for granted. I expected her to be there for me at every beckoning call. I expected her to give me everything I wanted and needed. I didn't thank her for every meal she put on the table for me. I didn't thank her for letting me crawl into her lap even at 20 years old to cry and feel loved. I didn't thank her for never showing me her weak points when dad was away. My mom was forced to be a single parent and did a fantastic job.
I look at so many of my friends and family and see that they have no respect for their mothers. Some of them have good reasons to not respect their moms, but others have really taken them for granted like I did. The ones who have a very good reason to not respect their mom make me even worse for taking my saint of a mother for granted. My "old best friend" was so rude to his mom. I could not believe he treated his mom the way he did. He would say things to his mother that I would have gotten slapped into next week for saying.
Sometimes I think about writing my mom a long 50 page letter thanking her for everything she's done and telling her I'm truly sorry for even once acting like a spoiled brat and expecting everything from her. I don't think this would be enough. I don't think buying my mother the entire universe would be enough. So, for mother's day I got her a hibiscus plant that she could plant in her new back yard and think of me every time she sees it. Seems silly now.
Just so you know, everything you listed that your mom does for you? It's her job. It's her duty to you as a mother to provide you with every ounce of emotional support that you will ever need, and she knows that.
ReplyDeleteWith all that being said, you should definitely be thankful (which you are) for everything she's done for you. I, myself, talked to "Old Best Friend" about the way he treats his mom, but he doesn't see the need to change. That's fine. Life experience will teach him that he needs her and he should stop treating her like garbage. Nothing we can do.
I take the positive things my mom has done for me for granted, too. I verbally thank her all the time, but I'm currently focusing a lot on the negative parts of our relationship, just because those have always been more apparent than the positive ones.
I know those things are her job, but she chose to do them, and was strong the entire time through everything my father put her through. There are so many moms out there who are shitty. They go out every night leaving the children to fend for themselves, they don't make sure their kids are up for school, and these are women in their 30s and 40s!
ReplyDeleteI put myself in my mom shoes and think about what I would have done in her situation. I think I would probably be in a straight jacket. lol
Btw my dad's coming back to our home town...today. To stay.