A Picture of My Mom

Curly haired, she stands up straight. Compassionate and overly empathetic. She stops her car on the side of the highway to get out and move a turtle off of the road. A perfectionist who can analyze and organize a room for peak efficiency in 2 seconds flat. A stylish, hip grandma with a knack for cooking, baking, decorating, and gardening. Poetic and creative. Deep and intense. A nonconformer hippie chick. A survivor of open heart surgery. A survivor of a tense childhood. A gifted writer and singer. She dances to loud music when cleaning the house. She married young and had two premature babies. She analyzes her dreams. I remember how she would smooth my hair without thinking while I sat on her lap as a child. A worrier who was often right to worry. A good sister. A loving wife. She listens to children. She cares enough to say hard things. She cares enough to say kind things. She cares enough to be silent sometimes. Honest and open. She apologizes for things that aren't her fault. A caregiver to the old and weak. A hard worker no matter what the job. She doesn't see herself as strong or beautiful.

But we do.



Tell me about your mom, as a real person, not so much as a mom. What makes her, her?