Sunday, May 8, 2011

Mother's Day

Normally I don't do posts themed for a particular holiday, but today I thought I'd mix it up a little. I haven't been home for five months now. It marks the longest I've been away from home so far in my life. So I feel like this Mother's Day is a little different than others I've missed. I won't have seen my mom in the week before or after Mother's Day, as is usually the case if I don't make it home the weekend of the holiday. In addition, I don't get to see my sisters, brother, and in-law siblings this day, nor my nieces or nephews. I am not a mother myself, but my nieces and nephews are the closest thing I have to children of my own, and I miss them terribly.

But back to my mom. She's encouraged me throughout my life, and without her support and that of my father, I don't think I'd be the same person today. We've both gone through ups and downs, but even when she wasn't feeling so encouraged herself, she was still encouraging to me. And I know she's proud of me. I remember moving to South Bend just after I graduated medical school and her telling everyone we met that I was a doctor. Even the cashier at Kmart. I was a little embarrassed, but knew she did it because she was so proud of me, so I took comfort in that. And through she knew my dream was to work overseas, leaving her and the rest of the family behind, she still encouraged me to follow my dream.

So thank you mom, for all your love and support. For protecting me and keeping me safe through childhood. For showering me with hugs and love. For providing for me, teaching me to cook, sew, and fix things. For sending me to school and making me do my homework. For disciplining me when I disobeyed. Being here in Africa has taught me how fortunate I am to have come from a loving, supportive family, who treats children as being important, and needing to be loved.

Happy Mother's Day, mom.
And Happy Mother's Day to all you other mothers and soon to be mothers out there.

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