A prayer that I believe my mother must have prayed daily:
Dear God, Give me the strength this day
to Love, to be the Lion & the Dove.....
My mother always seemed to know when to be strong, and when to let go. She has been the greatest example of unconditional, ever-lasting love, devotion, strength, and courage. I only hope to pass down to my children the same sense of security.
I have come to realize recently just how fortunate I am to have the mother I do.
Most of the friendships I have had over the course of my life involve girls/women that have very dysfunctional mothers. Whether it be mental illness, over-bearing, controlling, distant, narcissistic, alcoholic, etc., my mother is not any of those. My mother has always been supportive, available, loving.
I know that there may be some that believe we are too close. But, I don't feel that way. How can it be a bad thing to know you are cherished? How can the love of a mother and child ever be bad? I suppose love that cripples our children could be bad. I am not crippled. If anything, my mother encouraged me to spread my wings, and like a homing pigeon, I was always able to find my way back to the home roost.
It isn't always perfect, and we have our moments. The times my mother resembles anything of anger toward me, is when I am not being true to myself. When I give in. She likes that I am eccentric. She likes that I am outgoing, loud, bubbly, and vivacious. She likes that I can be, and usually am the life of a party. To see me suppress myself, in any way, for any reason, or anyone, frustrates, and angers her. To see me dull my shine for anyone, saddens her. And, the sad thing is, I have dulled my shine. Too many times. I am not sure what she deems worse; that I would allow my shine to be dulled, or that someone would allow me to dull my shine for them. Perhaps they are equally distasteful. Either way, it is time to get my polishing cloth out....I need to find my sparkle again!
