As Mother's Day approaches, I am sitting here trying to think of how to describe everything my mother and grand-mothers have done for me.
As a kid I was always a momma's girl, and to this day I still am.
My family constantly reminds me of this by showing me vacation videos of me in a Florida pool screaming at the top of my lungs "momma come, momma come right now" , I was a demanding kid, but she still loved me.
As a child I did not appreciate her wisdom and teachings as much as I do now.
When I got to elementary school, my mother worked in my school as a Spiritual Animator. At the time, I remember finding this the most embarrassing situation possible. I could not understand why she wanted to ruin my life this much. She was constantly around and teaching kids about morals and God. I used to be extremely offended when people said I looked like my mother, or that I had her personality. Now I only see how lucky I was to have my mother watching over me and teaching other children how to be good people the same way she did with me.
In high school, she continued to push me to be a good person. She is the reason I got good grades and stayed away from the "popular" crowd who drank and smoked their nights away. I can't say I ever studied because I didn't. You don't need to study when your parents have taught you to listen properly in class and focus on assignments.
I was an honour roll student all throughout school, and when it came time to choosing a career path, many wanted me to pursue a University degree, studying Science or something similar. "Become a doctor! Become a lawyer!" these stereotypical statements came from many people's mouths in my life. Where most people's mothers would be pushing towards this as well, my mother sat down with me several hours a day searching for possibilities around the country. School was always easy for me, I was searching for something that would challenge me, and my mother was more than supportive of this.
When I landed on Photojournalism, a fairly expensive course outside of the province, my mother continued to help me follow my dreams. As high school graduation occurs in grade 11 in Quebec, many people in my life tried to convince me to stay in Montreal to pursue a CEGEP career, my mother pushed me to pick up extra classes to be considered for Ontario schooling.
My mom has always been my biggest cheerleader, even when I did not think I deserved one. She has been there through each broken heart, through all of the bullying in high school, and especially through my constant health problems.
When doctors were saying nothing was wrong with me or blaming my problem on stereotypical " teenagers take drugs" mentality, my mother was pushing for further testing. She would stay awake to all hours of the night researching how to make me better and how to help in any way possible. My mom has always placed the needs of my sister and me above her own. She has always made sure that we have what we need, and helps us achieve what we desire.
It has never been easy. Our family is not perfect, we fight like any other family, and after the deaths of my two grandmothers my mom is the glue holding the family together. Without my mother, the family would no longer get together as often. The family dinners and get together would probably stop. I am not saying the rest of my family doesn't love each other. They do, but my mother is the one with the organizational skills of getting everyone together.
I still remember being at my maternal grandmother's funeral and being told I looked like her. This was the first time anyone had ever said this to me and I was honoured. My grandmother had always been my role model. She was my idea of the perfect lady. It was at this moment that I realize my mother possessed many of the same qualities that made me worship her mother. From that day forward, whenever anyone says I remind them of my mother, I take it with pride.
Thank you for always being there for me, for pushing me to follow my dreams and for loving me when it feels like no one else does. Thank you for knowing my needs before I do. Thank you for forgiving me when I mess up, and for letting the "I hate you" s go in one ear and out the other. I couldn't have been born to a better mother. You have taught me to be stronger than any obstacle in life. I love you.
