A Mother’s Love…
I was very blessed to have had a mother who may not have been the best, but she was mine and I loved her, foibles and all. She did her best for our family; she has been gone for almost three years and I miss her everyday and probably always will. She gave her daughter’s and son good guidance in the affairs of life, most importantly in my eyes has always been her sharing her faith with her family and nurturing us in those ways.
From a very early age and being the oldest child in the family, I was groomed to be responsible in helping to raise my younger siblings, the youngest sister being ten years younger. Although all my siblings thought I was too bossy, thankfully we made it through those years when I was left in charge for the days that my parents were away. We all survived and have lived to tell about it.
Mom was raised by a step-mother and I don’t think she received the best nurturing in the world but there were always other women in her life who took a place of pre-eminence and respect and were able to relay love to her. Thankfully, most individuals have had someone that has loved them unconditionally to replace a mother’s love.
Mom never felt quite adequate in her mothering, but one thing I can give her credit for is that even though she flew off the handle sometimes in her disciplining, it wasn’t too many minutes before she came to us and apologized for being so mad. I never remember physically being hit or slapped but she sure broke a lot of wooden spoons banging them against the counter in her communicating her disdain. But, I must say, the hour or two following her apology was gruelling. We were sat down at the kitchen table where she proceeded to share the ‘whys and wherefores’ about what we had done and given advice about what good performance looks like. Although this certainly was a hard ordeal for a teenager to endure, I believe this was one of the best things she could have done for us. Communication has always been key to understanding. It takes lots of love to take time out of one’s day to share and listen…
As a wife, mother and grandmother myself, I believe talking things through with family members on a one-on-one basis creates a greater bond of love and respect. In actuality, it’s not necessarily what’s said but relayed in these times of conversation that bind us together as individuals and family. How grateful I am for the family I have to call my own. My greatest wish is that they know how truly loved they are!
Happy Mother's Day!
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.
