My ultimate inspiration comes from my best friend,
the dazzling woman from whom I received my life’s blood.

Thank you, Mom. You are my guidepost for everything.

~ Rory Gilmore

I think I love my mother more than anything in the world. You know how sometimes there are those people –maybe a professor in college, maybe a friend. And they are the most awesome people, but although they are confident, they are even more awesome because they dont seem to realize how great they are? That is how my mom is.

To me, my mom is the perfect example of why youth should NOT be valued as highly as it is. Dont get me wrong — she’s still young, but in a way, she gets more youthful as she gets older. She’s always been beautiful — so, so pretty but even though she rolls her eyes when I say this, I stand firmly behind my assertion that she gets lovelier with every single year.

And I think this is due in large part to what makes her so special. She’s far from perfect, as we all are, but she never settles into a rut. She never stops growing. She reads a lot, and is constantly educating herself, whether by learning TurboTax or teaching herself Russian in order to communicate with the pre-teen children she and my father adopted three years ago.

My mom has always been a true mom, in the best way. She’s not Jean Weir — mushy and matronly and softspoken and that traditional mother type, and I know that she sometimes wondered if that made her cold. But it doesn’t. She’s just a person who happens to be a mom, if that makes sense. She’s smart and has the sharpest sense of humor. She’s tough and would rather shop at Home Depot than Bloomingdale’s any day, and she’s not very sentimental, and in my opinion, she’s perfect just the way she is. I don’t know where in the world she finds the energy, but even with three teenaged kids, and two older ones still kicking around wearing out our welcome, she is always involved in our lives. If we are sick, she makes us chicken soup. Whenever I am experiencing trauma with guys, I know that I can go into her room even when it’s late, and she will care and give great advice and hug me and pray for me. When I was three years old, and she was working full time, she taught me how to read using magnetic letters on the refrigerator, while she cooked dinner. Now she homeschools Eric, because that is what’s worked out best for him. She gives, gives, and gives.

The most amazing thing about her though, is that she never stops seeking the truth and trying to be a better person. She is the best example of someone who is devoutly religious (Catholic), and gives a good name to her faith. Because she truly believes in it, and lives it. She follows the Golden Rule to a T, and although I struggle more with finding my faith footing, she never acts like I should be exactly like her. She just cares that I find it for myself.

And I know that I am far from the best daughter, and sometimes I take a lot more than I give. But I am trying to be better, because she deserves it more than anyone. And I wanted to give her public props, because she is the best.

I love you, Mom. Thank you for being the one thing in my life that is always beautiful.

© May 20, 2005