I was always wowed by my mom’s never-ending patience. We used to have a lot of garter snakes around my house. One summer day, my brother thought it would be hilarious to stick one down my mom’s bathing suit.
This is the same brother who at two years old found a way to open the front door and make his way up the street in his diaper in the snow and then seven years later scraped all the skin off his back going down a steep hill on a skateboard.
I was the tamer of my mom’s kids. Although I did require a lot of mom’s attention, which she unconditionally gave to me, I mostly stayed away from extreme hi-jinks.
Through the hundreds of physical fights and screaming matches my brother and I used to have, my mother never lost her cool. In fact, she never once yelled at us.
She was the very essence of comfort and love. She was the open arms to weather any storm. She was the listener to every story no matter how many times we told it. She was always in our corner. She was our driver, the chef, house cleaner, counsellor, nurse, advocate and friend. She held all these important jobs while suffering from crippling rheumatoid arthritis. The disease eventually put her in a wheelchair but my mom never wavered in her passion for life or us.
My mother has been gone for nearly 14 years now but the imprint she has made on my heart still takes my breath away.
The loss of her loving presence is still profound.
As the saying goes, mothers hold our hands for a while, but hold our hearts forever.
I had the best role model in the world when I became a mother. I feel her patience and love when I guide my son through life and do my best to embody her qualities although she set the bar high.
Since becoming a mother, my whole world changed and my heart grew 10 sizes. It is the most rewarding and stressful thing I’ve ever done.
This Sunday, May 8, I plan to appreciate, honour and celebrate mothers here on Earth and those living in our hearts.
It seems only fitting that this edition of the Western News is our annual Women in Business magazine, where we honour and spotlight women making a difference both in business and in their communities.
These women are part of the village that raises the child. These women are role models, volunteers, mothers, aunties and contributors to our community and non-profits.
This Sunday let’s honour all women who play important roles in mothering.
These women are the tribe of grandmothers, mothers, friends, aunties and caregivers of all shapes and forms.
They deserve our thanks and appreciation. Also, wine is good too! Wine and brunch – those are also splendid Mother’s Day gifts!