Today is my mother's birthday, but I won't say which one; although she is not ashamed of her age, I still don't think she would appreciate me sharing that information!
(Side note: the older I get, the more cagey I get about my own age...I will admit to 40-something but the exact number is on a strict need-to-know basis. And most people simply do not need to know.)
When I speak of my mother, I usually use the word "lady," which describes her perfectly. She is kind, refined, conscientious, compassionate, proper, and gracious. She is a good friend and neighbor to many people and always quick to help, but finds it difficult to accept the type of help that she routinely provides to others. Her religious faith is very important to her and her life, for the most part, revolves around her church. Mom can be a bit naive at times and always expects the best of others - an admirable quality, to be sure, but one that often sets her up to be disappointed.
I am not much like my mother, I think. While I can be compassionate, gracious and kind, these are qualities that I have to work at and which do not come naturally to me. I certainly do not share her religious faith and fervor and while I do believe strongly in helping others, my motivation for doing so is different from hers. I don't even particularly look like her or her side of the family - I am all Dad and his family.
So while I do not resemble my mother in looks or temperament, and at times it seems that we have little in common, I do admire her. I admire her resolve, her trust in others and her positive outlook, and I admire the way she has soldiered on after my father's death. She gets lonely, of course, but she refuses to give in to hopelessness and continues to live her life, to have fun, to enjoy her friends and to make new ones.
Happy birthday, Mom - you are an amazing woman!
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