Call your parents

Call your parents to tell them how much you love them! 

On December 11^thcalling your parents was the light the world thing to do. While I was busy traveling. I called my sister to see if my mom was there so I could talk to her but she had gone over to Tia Estrella’s. Life the past few months has been a reminder that I am growing older as our children are hitting the 40 -year old mark or closed to turning 40. However, in all our focus to deal with seeing our own children and grandchildren grow older we have honestly lost sight of the fact that our own mothers are also growing old. Both our fathers have passed. 

Daniel’s mom is in good shape but she is turning 90 next year and is suffering from pain on her hip. We have been visiting Nela a few times. As we said good bye last time it hit me hard that our moms are growing old…it hit me almost by surprise, which is crazy because it’s not as if they have become old all at once. It has been happening slowly over the span of many years.  But because my own life has been going through so much transition moving around to far -away lands, I had somehow simply failed to notice just how much our own mothers were aging…and it made me feel a little sad.

Forty years ago, we saw our parents as these invincible adults. We saw our dads as these big strong men who worked hard, protected us, and just took care of things.  Our mom were the caretakers who were always there to make sure our needs were attended.  In my mind, they never got too old, it was like they were frozen in time.  All through my growing up they looked the same age to me.  Strong and energetic and young.  That is how they have always seemed to me.  Always, that is, until now. Now I see a cute little mom who is fragile and breakable who walks a little slower than she once did. A lot slower, I may add.  The realization is finally hitting me that one day down the road (and I pray that it is many more years down the road still) these two people who have been the absolute rock and foundation for our life may no longer be on this earth with us.

It’s a thought I simply cannot imagine without breaking into tears. I need to make more time to spend with my mom. I need to make it a priority to spend quality time with her.  I need to make sure I get her advice now on the things I should know for the future so I don’t waste my chance to get it while she is still here with me.  I need to ask her to tell me more stories about her own life and all the lessons she has learned that might someday be helpful to me.  I need to make sure I let her know how much I love her and what she means to me while she is still here to hear it in person.

On Facebook I wrote this post: 

From my mother, I learned dedication and the commitment to giving your all in everything you choose to do but most of all I learned from my mother to have trust in the Lord and His timing. I learned patience and tenderness by watching her wipe the tears or hold the hands of other people in distress. I learned the pure joy of service from the countless hours of hosting events, from bridal showers, to weddings, to baby showers, anniversary, birthday etc. She was the one people turned to for help. Over the years, I hope to have learned from her wisdom and grown into my best self by emulating her example. I am so lucky to have a mother like mine!

Even as I write this I can’t stop my eyes from welling up.  I am not ready for the day to come when our mothers are not present anymore.  I’m just not.  They have been our guides and our anchor.  Whenever I need advice or sympathy I always know I can call my mom, And I don’t want to imagine a day when I can no longer pick up the phone and do that or when I can knock on her door and have her  there to answer it. Yet it is a reality that I need to start to remember so that I don’t allow myself to take one moment I have with her for granted.

Thank you light the world for making a day special to call our parents. It is always a good reminder. 

Con amor,

Vero