If I could ever capture gratitude in a bottle, I would capture it for my Mother. She married my father when I was roughly 5 years old and from that day forward I was her son. My parents would go on to have two other children, my brilliant brother and sister. When asked though, she never says she has two kids (I pay attention), she always says 3. She taught me that blood does not a family make. I am her child and that is all there is to it. I am so thankful for that fact.
If I could ever catch love in a locket, I would catch it for my Mother. You see, Amy did not give birth to me. That became irrelevant very quickly. You wouldn’t know from the way she treats me. She loves me no less, not from where I am sitting. She became a guiding force in my life, a debt that I could never repay. The woman she is, loves. She will never know how much she has contributed to the outcome of the man I have become.
If I could ever carry the weight of her worries, I would carry them for my Mother. This woman is the definition of a Mother, we before she, always. My siblings would agree, she is simply amazing. My wish for her would be more deep breaths and moments of silence. She carries so much on her shoulders, a modern day Joan of Arc. Her battle always goes on.
If I could ever grasp onto kindness, I’d grasp it for my Mother. Amy is kind, and because of that karma has been kind to her. She puts out kindness and you see it return to her, people love her. She is respected, endeared. I would ponder that she doesn’t even know this. Kindness usually doesn’t play nice with conceit. My Mother knows nothing of the latter.
If I could ever grant someone entitlement, I’d grant it to my Mother. She is entitled to the world in my eyes, she gives so much of herself. She deserves her heart’s desires. My hope for her is that she sees those desires to fruition. Sacrifice for her at times, has been a necessary friend. As I said, we before she, always.
If I could ever vanquish all of her fears, I’d vanquish them for my Mother. Amy made my fear of having no Mother go away. Vanquished. She has always been there. It used to be a couple of rooms away, now it is a few states. But she is there when needed. Fear can be a powerful thing and when a fear of something suddenly disappears, new light can shine through. She has always been a light.
If I could ever wish hope for someone, I’d wish it for my Mother. She gave me hope when there could have been a tremendous amount of despair. She is nothing short of a gift, a Mother meant to be. She to me, is hope personified. Hope can push you forward each day and that is what she did. She kept pushing.
If I could remove the title -Step, I’d remove it from my -Mother. She has never and will never be my Step-Mother. How could I not grant her the title of Mother when she has been nothing but? She has been such a rock in times of need and a steady hand when I may have been off course. Is that not definition Motherhood?
Lastly.
If I could ever tell someone how great they are, I’d tell it to my Father. You could not have chosen a better woman to be my Mother and she could not have chosen a better man to raise her children with. You are a stubborn man, a loving man, a gracious man, a tender man. Thank you for instilling those qualities in me and for giving me the Mother of a lifetime.
Originally published at medium.com