"All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel mother."

"A mother is the truest friend we have."

"The life of a mother is the life of her child: the two are blossoms on a single branch"

"A mother is the most beautiful gift life offers us." 

They say heaven lies beneath a mother's feet, so imagine the feeling of her embrace. A mother is she who can take the place of all others, but whose place no one else can take. Mother's Day has come and gone, and I witnessed a numerous posts filled with love and dedication on social media. It got me thinking, the only true emotions are the ones between a mother and her child.

I’ve witnessed sons and daughters yell at their mothers out of frustration. In the moment, I’d wonder if they only knew the pain of losing a mother, would they reconsider their actions? Think about missed opportunities; a kind word unsaid, not hugging good-bye, wishing you had a chance to redo certain moments… We tend to lose grasp of the value of everyday interactions until we lose someone we know. After all, we are human. It's only natural for us to make mistakes. The older I get, the more I learn the value of time spent with my mother. This goes beyond Mother's Day. There’s no need for a specific day or a reason to hug our mothers. To bring her flowers. To dedicate time and words to express how much she means. Everyday should be Mother’s Day.

There (is) nothing more beautiful or heartwarming than my mother's smile. The simple sight of her smile would bring me to tears. A few years ago, when my siblings and I were all attending college, my mom actually thought we were too grown and didn’t need her anymore. Imagine. She cried as she told me. My heart sank, but I couldn't help laughing as I hugged her because what she thought couldn't be further from the truth. She (is) my everything. Every time I ran to her when I was sad or called her to tell her about my day, I'd remind her of the time she thought I didn't need her anymore and she'd laugh. But it wasn't her fault that she felt that way, it was my job to make her feel like the angel she (is). 

I knew her before I knew life. I only knew life with her in it. When she was ill, it was my job to care for her. The one day I got sick and couldn't get out of bed, I begged her not to. I begged her to rest, but she told me nothing could keep her from taking care of her child. The pain of seeing me suffer was more than the pain she felt while suffering from her illness. That day, she willed herself to get up and take care of me. 

This post isn't a Mother's Day gift guide or an #ad on Instagram… No. It is a reminder. 

A reminder to have patience with your mother. A reminder that although Mother’s Day has passed, embrace and appreciate your mother anyways. Remember that she may not always be perfect, but she truly is the most precious gift in your life. I realize not everyone has the best relationship with their mother, but a mother is a caretaker. Whether she is your grandmother, aunt, friend, sister. The force our mothers' exert on our hearts is stronger than gravity, and never leaves us. My mom thanked me for choosing her as a mother, when truthfully, I could thank God every day for the rest of my life and it still would not be enough to account for the blessing and honor of having her as a mother. 

Happy Mother's Day