Sometimes life catches you off guard, one moment a usual evening football game, and the next they pronounce your husband, the father of your children, dead. Now it is up to you to raise two children, 16 and 11, on your own. It is your job alone to provide shelter, food, and other necessities for your children on one income alone. You have to change your whole life and all of your plans because you never planned for income, family, and parenting to be cut in half. You may get angry, sad, or scared but in that moment, you look at your children and knew you could feel anything, but you could not throw in the towel. When these moments happen in life, it really distinguishes a mother from a mom. A mother may give up and sink into a depression and not provide or care for their children, maybe even leave their children. A mom mourns like a normal human being, but she does not give up, she fights for her children and herself. Moms are some of the strongest people on this earth.
My MOM is one of the strongest, funniest, kindest, most loving woman I have ever met in my life. September 25th, 2010 she not only lost her husband, but the father of her two children. She had to figure out not only funeral expenses, but also plan for what the rest of her life would have to be for the sake of her children. She did not worry about herself as much as she did for her children, in her mind taking care of her children was her number one priority. She took my sister and I through Olivia’s House, a center for children who have lost parents and need help navigating grief at such a young age. She worked hard everyday to make sure my sister and I were taken care of and being loved, often at the expense of herself. She deserves more than a round of applause for all she has done for me in my life.
A woman as strong and caring as she deserves the world and nothing less. Even as my life seems to be difficult currently as a college student, I know she has me topped 40 times over. She has never given up on me even when I am difficult, she has seen me through my depression and tries to help all she can. She is a listening ear, a cheerleader, a lifesaver, and an overall amazing woman who I am lucky to have as a mom.
To the supportive moms of the world I thank you, because I don’t know where I would be without mine. I would be lost without my mom because in my eyes she is an unstoppable force, who won’t let anything get her down (besides food poisoning). I do not know how she does it sometimes because her life can fall apart, and she is more worried about keeping my sister and I with a roof over our heads. Does she get upset with me sometimes? Yes! Does it make her a bad mom? NO! Am I hard to handle sometimes? ABSOLUTELY! Does she still stand by me? Yes! She is the most incredible woman I have ever met, and if I can become half as strong and amazing as her, I will be proud. I admire and love my mom so much. So, this Women’s History Month I salute the Moms of the world who have raised and cared for their children through it all. THIS is what distinguishes a mother from a mom, anyone can be a mother, but it takes a special woman to be a mom.