Posted on 05/07/2003 2:37:42 AM PDT by JohnHuang2
"Mom, I want to be just like you."
That's what I told my mother as a 5-year-old girl, watching her brush her teeth. "I want to be tall like you and have teeth like you. And I even want to wear lots and lots of lipstick like you."
My mother smirked, not knowing if that was a compliment from her precocious young daughter.
When I was 10, I stood tall as my mother dressed me in my favorite pink dress and put matching ribbons in my hair. She allowed me to wear lip gloss for the first time and I felt so grown up. "Mom, you are my best friend and I want to be just like you when I grow up," I said, sharing with her, almost at the point of tears.
When I was 16-years old and with a drivers license, I was so cool – at least I thought I was. My friends were so important to me and whatever they said was what I considered the truth.
"No, you can't drive tonight. It is going to rain and I don't want you out there in the bad weather. You could have an accident," Mom explained. To which I responded, "Mom, you are so old fashioned. I will be OK. Please let me go. My friends are depending on me."
I got the old cold stare and the "no way, not today" look from my mother. She is so not with it, I thought to myself, I don't want to be like her when I grow up.
At college graduation, I was finally an adult and I felt so independent. My parents were in the stands cheering me on as I crossed the stage and was handed my degree. They were so proud. I saw my mother wipe a tear from her eye and I thought, "She is so emotional. I am definitely not like that. I am so glad they came to support me today."
My wedding day was getting closer and I stood very still as my mother put in the final touches of the wedding gown that she had made for me. She had taken four months to complete it and put all of her love into every stitch. As I looked down at her graying head of hair, I said in a whisper, "I love you, Mom and I wouldn't mind being a little like you when I grow up."
Having my last child and now in my 30s, I hugged my new baby and looked over at my mother to give her a smile. She had come up to my home for the birth of all of my children and I was so thankful. When we returned home from the hospital, my mother cooked, cleaned and took care of me and the new baby. That night, she lay sleeping in front of the television after a hard day taking care of everyone. Her tired hands crossed in front of her chest as her glasses were barely still on her face. I kneeled down and kissed her and whispered in her ear, "I would be truly blessed if I grew up and became just like you."
Thank you mother for unconditional love all of my life, and for modeling and being a person I would be proud to be one day.
Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers in the world.
Thanks for sharing.
Very touching!
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