Ode to a Mother's Love

I was overtaken by feelings of joy and sadness today as I listened to Bishop TD Jakes pray for mothers all over the congregation and pay tribute to his wife and the mother of his children, Lady Serita Jakes. I felt joy at the memories I have of my mom & a bit of sadness because she is not here, I don't have any children & was feeling somewhat alone in this world. I began to really think about the love of a mother, how unconditional & unselfish it is and I recalled one of those moments I shared with my mom. I can picture it as if it were yesterday-instead of over seven years ago.

I had my first round of chemo for breast cancer treatment 12 days before and had to admit my mom to the hospital just 5 days after that for congestive heart failure. Both of us not feeling our best but pushing on just the same refusing to allow our "conditions" to get the best of us. It was a sunny early Saturday evening & I had spent the better part of the morning shopping for wigs - I lost all of my hair literally the night before. I must have looked at 50 wigs that day before finally deciding on the 2 I would purchase. Armed with my new look I went to the hospital to spend the evening with my mom. When I walked in she looked at me and said, "Can (this was the name she called me) I like your hair, you cut it?!" I barely raised my head to look at her and said mom- this is a wig, all my hair came out today from the chemo, I am totally bald! She asked me to sit on the bed with her & take my wig off. At the time this occurred my mom was 96 years old- it was my great grandmother who raised me since I was 3 months old but she is "mom" to me. With her hands cupped from arthritis, red painted fingernails- that was her favorite color- she rubbed my head so lovingly and ever so gingerly and said, "It's okay it will grow back and you are beautiful with or without hair; and you will get better just like momma did." She too was a breast cancer survivor- over 50 years!

As tears rolled down my face- the way they are now- I hugged her and fell in her arms thinking to myself- I am a survivor look at my role model! From that day on, I refused to let cancer define me; instead with the support of my mom, my wonderful God-given family and friends I took the bull by the horns and lived each day to the fullest. Unfortunately, my mom passed away 3 days before my last radiation treatment and one week after her 97th birthday.

She had no idea the love, support & encouragement she provided me that day in her hospital room. She was being a mom- doing what moms do- loving her child!

I, like many others who don't have their mothers with them anymore must hold on to thoughts like this to play back in the reels of our memories. Always keeping them close and using those thoughts as encouragement to keep moving forward and progressing they way our moms would want us to!

To moms everywhere, I say say thank you and Happy Mother's Day!

As this writing resonates in your mind, what fond or poignant memory do you have of your mom?