The one who now stands on the sidelines of our lives. The one we scold when she spoils our children and when she sends us green beans in a Tupperware, even though she knows we don’t really eat them.
She is the only person in the world who has hurt, cried, and loved every last inch of our existence more than anyone else. She never talked to us about all of this. However, we understood when we became mothers ourselves, firsthand. Read the beautiful thoughts of a mother.
You made her cry… a lot
She cried when she found out she was pregnant. She cried when she gave birth to you. She cried the first time you called out to her. She cried from joy. She cried from fear. She cried from worry. She cried because she feels such strong emotions for you. She feels your pain and your joy and shares them with you, whether you realize it or not.
She wanted that last piece of dessert
But when she saw you staring at it with your big eyes and licking your lips with that tiny tongue of yours, she couldn’t eat it. She knew it would make her much happier to fill your little belly with it rather than her own.
She was in pain
When you pulled her hair, it hurt her. When you grabbed her with those sharp little nails that are so hard to cut, it hurt her. When you bit her while nursing from her breast, it hurt her too. You kicked her in the ribs when you were in her belly. You stretched her stomach to the limit for nine months. You made her body convulse with excruciating pain as you came into this world.
She always worried
From the very moment of your conception, she did everything she could to protect you. She became your guardian angel. She was the one who said no to the little girl next door who wanted to hold you, and she felt bad every time she did it, but in her mind, no one else could keep you safe like she could. Her heart stopped for a few seconds when you took your first steps. She stayed up late into the night to make sure you got home safely and woke up very early every morning to say goodbye to you for school. Every time you fell or got hurt, she was right there with you. She would immediately hug you with every bad dream and every fever. She was there to make sure you were okay.
She knows she isn’t perfect
She is her own worst critic. She knows all her flaws and sometimes hates herself for them. However, she is even harder on herself when it comes to you. She wanted to be the perfect mom—never to make mistakes. But because she is human, she sometimes made mistakes. Most likely, she is still trying to forgive herself for them.
She watched you while you slept
There were nights when she stayed awake until 3:00 AM, praying for you to finally fall asleep. She could barely keep her eyes open as she sang to you, silently saying, “please, please, go to sleep.” And when you finally did fall asleep, she would leave you in your crib, and all the fatigue would instantly fade away for a few seconds as she sat beside you, gazing at your perfect, angelic face, feeling more love than she could ever imagine, despite her exhausted arms and stinging eyes.
She carried you for more than nine months
You wanted her. That’s why she did it. She learned to hold you while she cleaned. She learned to hold you while she ate. She even learned to hold you while she slept because sometimes there was no other way to get any rest. Her arms grew so tired, her back ached, but she held you because you wanted her close. She stroked you, loved you, kissed you, and played with you. You felt safe in her arms. You were happy in her embrace. You knew you were loved in her arms, which is why she held you as often and for as long as you needed.
Her heart broke every time you cried
There was no sadder sound for her than your crying, nor a more terrifying sight than your tears rolling down your perfect face. She did everything possible to make you stop crying, and when she couldn’t, her heart shattered into a thousand pieces.
She put you above everything else
She could skip meals, not bathe, and not sleep. She always put your needs above her own. She could spend the entire day meeting your needs, and by the end of the day, she had no energy left for herself. But the next day, she would wake up and do it all over again because you meant so much to her.
She would do it all over again
Being a mom is one of the hardest jobs anyone can do, and sometimes it pushes you to your limits. You cry, you hurt, you try, you fail, and you feel more love than your heart can hold. Despite all the pain, the sorrow, the sleepless nights, and the early mornings you put your mom through, she would do it all over again for you because you are her most precious treasure.
So, the next time you see her, say thank you. Show her that you love her. No matter how many times she hears it, it’s never enough for her.
