Bobbie….Known to me as “Mom”
Today is Mother’s Day and since I won’t get to see my Mom in person I wanted to express to her in my own words what she means to me. You know life is so short and so often we look back and wish we could have expressed to someone how we feel and I didn’t want to wait until it was too late to do so. My Mom is an awesome person. Yeah sure you could say “Well Michele everyone can say that about their Moms”, but this is different. My friends would also say the same thing about her. Those who know my Mom will describe her as a loving and caring person. There is nothing she would not do for my brother and I growing up. She was the comforter when we needed one, but the Mother who reminded us to be respectful when needed as well.
Mom was only 18 when my brother and I were born. She and my Dad got married and lost their “lives of free youth” and suddenly became parents and responsible adults all in one year. My father went to work with my grandfather in the construction field and that is how he provided for his family while Mom stayed at home with us. I remember as a little girl the different places we lived in and like pictures I could only remember certain “shots” of my childhood as I was little. I’ve told my Mom the one thing that was always certain, and that wherever we lived the place was always kept spotless.
Mom would always do things for my brother and I that she never thought was special, but to me today I can look back on them as something that made me feel loved. For example, every day when my brother and I got home from school she would always have an after school snack and drink waiting for us while we could smell dinner cooking. We knew that we had to sit at the kitchen table and get our homework done. Most of the time the drink was Kool-aide that she allowed my brother and I to pick out the flavors at the store. We even had one of those “Kool-aid man” pitchers that today is a collector’s item (go figure).
Back to school time meant trips to the JC Penney and Sears before the malls were ever built. Mom never had a frown on her face during these outings so we never knew if she was unhappy about shopping. Trips to the grocery store meant my brother and I could pick out one thing each at the check out counter. Usually a candy bar or gum, and I always made sure the one I picked was worth the while. I had my favorites of course.
Music was always playing in our house as well. All kinds, not just one genre. Depending on my Mom’s mood the sounds of Olivia Newton John or Peter Frampton would play. As I got older (teens) she would want me to play the music I liked and danced to all the time. The house was never off limits for those times. During the summers something as simple as sunbathing she made fun by making sure the radio was playing with music even she found “cool” to listen to . After all, she was still very young for having teenagers! Yeah, my Mom rocked!
Mom was my sounding board and adviser when I needed advice on guys. My friends would always look to her as their “go to guru” as well. After all she was so cool to hang out with and she was “Mom” to every good friend my brother and I had. During the summers we spent all of our weekends at Clarks Hill. We always had friends along and always had Mom there having fun with us and making sure we were taken care of. She never stopped loving, never stopped caring, never stopped being the greatest person ever in my life.
To this day my Mom would never see herself as a great and wonderful person. Her modesty won’t allow her to feel that much good about her works. However, today I want to make sure she understands the impact she made in my life. For you see, what I have written here is just a small sample of how wonderful she was then and is today. I am fortunate to still have her here with me, but realize just how precious time really is. For every small way she made my life feel special, those ways I decided to bring to my sons as well. My hope was those small memories will be the ones that last the longest in their hearts. I know Mom’s special moments live on with me every day. I’m proud to be her daughter and her best friend now and I can only hope that I measure just in a small way the person that she is in life. If I can accomplish that, then I’ve done a great job with a fabulous mentor that guided me.
