Mother’s
Day has been one of those holidays I’ve tiptoed precariously around since my
mother’s passing twelve years ago. It’s a mixed bag of memories and melancholy,
and I know I am by no means alone in this. Anyone whose mother is gone dances
that dance as well.
I
remember thinking once, when visiting my niece, and realizing my utter delight
in her mere existence, that we all seem to be perpetually searching and longing
for that – someone to delight in us. And though it seems like something reserved
for only our direct bloodline, wouldn’t it be nice if we could practice more of
that kind of love with everyone in our lives?
Whom
do we cheer on? Whose champion are we? Whose safe harbor are we in stormy seas?
Can we love people as much in their failures as in their triumphs? Can we keep
our arms open even when we ourselves are hurting? Can we delight in each other’s
adult selves as much as we do in toddlers and puppies?
Maybe
it’s a byproduct of time that we stop and think about how we show up in life. Maybe
that’s because how we show up is our link to immortality. More than any
accomplishment we will ever achieve, love is the abiding thing that exists
beyond our time here. So we shouldn’t be stingy with either feeling it or
expressing it.
And
that brings me to…my sister-in-law, Narci, mother of my cherished and adorable
niece, Samantha.
It
is hard living 3,000 miles away from people you love, but the time I do get to
spend is both more precious and gives me a different vantage point than I
otherwise would have had.
My
niece, Sammy, is effervescent. And what is most precious to her, she shares
openly, whether it’s her excitement about a book she’s reading, something she
learned in dance class, or a treasure kept in a special place in her room. She
is considerate and polite, caring and affectionate, and I can’t help but think
that her mother should be given a medal for raising a child with those
qualities in today’s world. (And my brother, too, but it’s not Father’s Day
yet, so hold your horses, will ya!)
So
Narci, please know that you are appreciated and valued and respected so much
for making this world a better place by who you are raising Samantha to be and
by who you are, because you could not impart qualities you did not yourself
possess.
Wishing
everyone a safe harbor of unconditional love – to have it and to be it for
others.
Happy
Mother’s Day!
Mom & Me
Me, Narci, & Sammy 2014
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