
What is a perfect mom? Unfortunately, from the many stories I’ve heard, I don’t believe many people believe their mom is a superhero. However, since I was old enough to walk, my mom has been Wonder Woman. Yes, she probably babied more than she should’ve as I was growing up, but I’ll never forget those days, and I’ll be forever grateful for the attention I received.
I still remember the big wheel I got for Christmas one year before my parents built the house they live in now, and I even remember the Rock’m Sock’m robots my siblings and I got. Even when my parents were trying to carve out a living with only my dad working and my mother watching us kids, Mom made sure we had everything … and I mean everything. It wasn’t the gifts that created the everlasting bond, though. It was the ability to be a perfect mother that created her relationship with me and my two siblings.
She led us down some paths and watched us walk down others on our own. She tried giving us guidance but never steered us in any direction other than the ones we wanted to explore. She knew when to be a mother, and she also knew when to be a friend, making sure boundaries were established and we understood our part in life. She showed us how important it was to work, even when we didn’t feel like going.
Mom has always lived her life for others, which is definitely not something I can say about myself. Instead, I’ve been somewhat selfish with my time and life. I probably should’ve followed the lesson a little better, but at the same time, she has been my biggest fan in everything I’ve pursued.
When I was about 3 years old, my mom plopped my butt down in a shopping cart at Zayres department store and began wheeling me through the aisles. She had a list and began scratching things off as she threw them in the main compartment of the cart. With my stubby little legs hanging out the child seat part of the cart, I watched in amazement.
After checking out, we realized I had lost my straw teddy bear that I always had with me. It had been handed down from her father, and it was suddenly missing. Instead of panicking, she headed to the customer service area to see if someone could help us. Within minutes, my teddy bear had been located and returned to me. I’m still not sure how she brought it back to me, but she did. Furthermore, I’m not sure how I remember the entire episode. I’m sure not many people have many memories from that age. I can also tell you that Barb Wood, mom’s friend, was shopping with us. They both used to share their french fries with me after shopping. Of course, I would get a McDonald’s hamburger if I behaved well. If McDonald’s wasn’t on the agenda, we would stop at the Carol’s hamburger place next to McDonald’s.
As my childhood continued, Mom found herself facing a daunting task when I was diagnosed as a Type 1 diabetic in first grade. Knowing nothing about diabetes, she had to learn how to organize a diet for me that would allow my blood sugar levels to remain at acceptable levels. She would also learn how to draw insulin out of bottled and inject me. Then, she would learn how to take care of me when I went into insulin shock and bring me out of it with instant glucose. She did it without missing a beat. She also made sure she never allowed me to think I was any different from other kids. I lived my life with the hidden disease and nobody could tell I was “different.” I have my mother to thank for my upbringing. I learned how to be disciplined and follow a schedule. If I didn’t stay on track, I would pay the price and possibly die.
When I reached puberty, I was all over the map with hobbies. It’s also when I took a liking to motorcycles. Instead of buying herself a new car, she took out a loan and bought a motorcycle for me. I made a track behind the house, and I would ride the bike on every trail in the area. I would be gone for hours on end. I never stopped riding, not even at night. Fortunately, my bike had a headlight on it, and I could tool around in the woods and the field behind the house. I’m sure she was worried when I was late coming home, but she never stopped me from doing what I love. I knew the concessions she made to buy the motorcycle, and I have never forgotten it. If it weren’t for her, I never would’ve learned how to ride a motorcycle.
Shortly before I was old enough to drive, I begged my mother to let me back her car out of the garage because I could drive a stick. Well, I sure made a mess out of that. While backing up, I panicked and put the gas pedal to the floor. I slammed into my uncle’s vehicle in the driveway, wrecking the back end of my mom’s Toyota Corolla and smashing the rear quarter panel of my uncle’s vehicle. She never raised her voice or yelled at me. Instead, she made sure I was OK and continued driving her wrecked car.
A few years after that incident, she gave me one of her cars, and I drove it until she bought me another one. Then, as I got ready to go off to college, she handed down her white Toyota Corolla to me, and I called it my own for the duration of my college career. Once again, giving everything of herself to make sure I had the things she never had. I always came before anything she wanted. Unfortunately, I never saw the magnificence in it at the time, like I do now. My mom is the most loving person in the world. Although I’ve loved her my entire life, I lover he more and more every day I’m alive.
After getting out of college, my mom helped me make a deal for my first couple of new vehicles. Through her job, she knew many car dealers. She taught me how to negotiate and make a deal. In doing so, I bought a brand new Izuzu Pup off-road package before eventually buying a brand-new Ford 150. She taught me how to always have equity in my vehicle and how to always stay above water on the financial end of car deals. I’ll be forever thankful for that because those lessons still play a big part in my life today. Thank you, Mom. You taught me well.
When I hit mid-life, my world fell apart in front of me. Without any warning, I found myself lost. I was at the bottom of a deep, dark pit. The walls were closing in on me, and I felt like there was no escape. I would cry endlessly for days, weeks, months on end. I was starting over and felt like I had no place to go. Mom opened her heart and ensured me everything would be OK. She worked her magic with me, but I could see the pain she was in due to taking my pain on the chin. She did it without hesitation, and she did it well. She smiled, spoke softly and inspired me to find a better life. I took it all in and gradually began climbing back up the hill, eventually writing three books. Her encouragement and support allowed me to work tirelessly toward my goals. Then, when I got to the top of the mountain, she was there waiting for me with open arms. She hugged me, told me she loved me and made sure I knew how proud she was to watch my accomplishments unfold in front of her.
As time began creeping by again, I saw her and Dad pack their bags and make their annual pilgrimage to Florida for the winter. Not expecting anything different than normal, I watched them go. Then, in late February, the phone rang, and I picked it up. With a seriousness I had not heard in the past, she told me I should probably get to Florida ASAP because Dad had come down with something and the doctors had informed her he might not make it to the end of the week.
Within minutes, I booked a flight to Daytona and headed south to be with her and Dad. I would have an extended stay as Dad fought with everything he had to get from one day to the next. On dialysis and without much hope, we began doing some research and made the choice to get him back to New York for treatment. We packed the truck, rented a trailer and headed North. Eventually, Dad would recover, but it felt good to finally be there for Mom after all the times she has been there for me.
I guess that brings us to today. Happy Mother’s Day, Mom. I love you with every ounce of me being. If I could make a list of things I’d want in a perfect mother, I could never come close to listing all the bonuses you have given to me and my siblings. You were a mom when we were growing up and you became a friend and mother as I became an adult. There’s nothing more I enjoy than sitting down with you and talking every day. It is and always has been the highlight of my day. Sometimes, I get caught up in my own life, but I value my time with you more than anything else. There’s nothing I could ever do to repay you for everything you’ve done for me and continue to do for me. If I had one wish, I’d wish that every child, whether the kid is a barefoot child who can barely speak and is rolling around on the floor or a 59-year-old man who calls you every afternoon to have that reassuring chat with you, could have you had a mother. When I look at all of the things you’ve been able to do, I’m in awe.
You went from getting married in high school and having a child shortly after graduation to having two more children. You raised us, then decided to go to work. You made a career for yourself, then traveled across the world visiting all the places you always dreamed of seeing. I guess you could say that life hasn’t been overly fair to you on the health side. Your resilience has taught me to never complain about health issues and never use them for any type of excuse. I’ve seen you embrace the battles over time, and I watch you put the smile on now and take it the best you can right now. I’ve never been more proud to tell people you are my mom, my hero. I wish I had your strength, and I wish I could compartmentalize all the things you do without letting them consume you. You’ve taught me that anything is possible, and you’ve taught me that having a negative attitude will never help me get beyond the obstacles we all face.
Today is your day, Mom. I want you to know that I love you. I’m grateful for you. I admire you. You are the person who inspires me to be a better person and treat everyone fairly. I hope today welcomes you with a dose of caring, loving warmth and happiness. I will spend the rest of my life trying to make you proud, and I will do anything I can for you. I never could’ve asked for a better mother, and even if I did, God could never make a woman who is better than you at being a mom. Thank you, Mom. I love you.