“I need her to make me some cocoa and tell me that everything that is going badly in my life will sort itself.”
– Kathleen Kelley, You’ve Got Mail

It’s been awhile, but I seem to recall that Kathleen says this when she’s at a point in her life when she is feeling the dread and pressure of the very real possibility that she might soon lose something truly important to her. When that happens, when the shop she inherited from her parents, the shop she practically grew up in, the shop she has dearly loved for as long as she has been able to love anything, and in which she still has her closest friends, when that shop closes down… well, it’s a devastating loss. As she puts it, it’s like a part of her has died, and her mother has died all over again.

Her mother was, as mothers should be, her hero, her role model and champion, her steadfast, immovable, unshakeable support. Kathleen remembers the good times in her book store, in the car after school when they would just talk, and all the times her mother gave her the comfort she needed to be strong. The world may not understand how something as simple as hot chocolate and reassurance (for instance) can be such a powerful influence, such a source of enduring strength, but there you have it.

It is often in the smallest, most everyday of gestures that we find our greatest comfort.

And who is there more consistently, to offer such support, than our beloved parents, especially our mothers?

I do say that knowing that not everyone has that most wonderful blessing. Some parents are atrocious. Some mothers are awful. And even when one is so blessed, sometimes the tragedy of loss strikes all too soon.

In that light, I want to just say how grateful I am that my mother is still here, and that she has always been awesome. She has always been supportive of her children, as long as we do not hurt either ourselves or those around us. She endured all the travails that come with motherhood, guided and taught us as best she could, and she spoiled us (especially me) so rotten that it has only been exceeded by how she spoils her grandchildren. 😉 Most of all, I have always known that she loves us.

I have always known I am loved.

What a truly wonderful gift!

Though I am a fully grown adult, working and supporting myself as best I can, there will always be some part of me that, every so often, for no reason or any reason at all, just needs my mom, with all of her comfort and love and support.

Thank you, God, for my mother.

Thank you, Mom, for being my mom. I love you.

Happy Mother’s Day!