A Mother's Day Letter

Dear Mama,

The women in our family have always been letter writers, though we got out of the habit of writing once I returned "home" from Spain after my first marriage. I was still 60 miles from the ranch but you had phone service by then so we talked often. I find it comforts me now to write letters to you again.

It comes as a shock sometimes to realize I'm unconsciously saving things up to tell you. Years ago, when I was raising show dogs and sold a puppy for $1000, the first thing you said was "Oh, I wish Papa were here and he could hear that." He'd been gone nearly 20 years but I understand that so well now. So many things have happened since you've been gone and my reaction was the same as yours ... I wish you were here so I could tell you that.

You taught me so much, and it's helped me get through some bad times. You said when things are difficult, you don't give up, you don't give in and you don't complain. You simply face the direction you have to go, take a step forward, then the next step and the step after that. Keep doing that and you will eventually come out on the other side and find you have survived. You rebuilt your own life after catastrophies twice that I know of, so it wasn't just words. This is how you lived your life.

Once I was mature myself, I not only loved you because you were my mother, but you became my best friend as well. When I had time, my first thought was to ask if you wanted to go somewhere with me. Now I am getting to the age you were then, I tire more easily and enjoy "going" less and I wonder if you accompanied me when you would have preferred to stay home and relax, because you knew I wanted your company.

Did I ever thank you for instilling in me a love of books and reading? I don't remember a time when I was not read bedtime stories, starting with nursery rhymes and going on to Greek mythology. I was reading myself before I ever went to school. That love of reading has stayed with me all of my life and provided hours of enjoyment.

And one of my very earliest memories is of being held in your lap while you sang this song to me:

You Are My Sunshine
My only sunshine.
You make me happy
When skies are grey.

The memories are comforting ... Happy Mother's Day ... from your loving daughter.