This holiday, I want to stress the need to give thanks. It isn’t often that we reflect on the past and what was done and we hardly ever look to the future and give thanks to it (I know it hard to be thankful for things and events we haven’t experienced yet). But it is important to do so lest we lose sight of what is really important in the world. I know I have many things to be thankful for and for the first time, I’m going to list them all and say a little thank you for having those that I am thankful for. For the first in this series, which will run all season long, gives thanks to and for my mother.

My mom, like the rest of my family, is someone I am very thankful for. Not only did she give birth to and raise me, she has been one of my closest friends and confidants for all of my 30 years (I sure I had that discussion on the meaning of life with her at 18 months… at least that’s what I remember). She has supported just about everything I ever tried and succeeded at doing and she comforted me when I failed. I’m also thankful for her advice and unique outlook on the world that has helped me gain new perspectives on all my conflicts and endeavors. On those ideas of mine she said weren’t good (and she was usually right), she let me do them anyway and allowed me to experience whatever it is I wanted and was by my side no matter what; I can’t even think of a time she said absolutely ‘no’ to anything in particular and if she did, it wasn’t something I should have been or needed to entertain – I wasn’t scared by her authority in that respect.

As we grow older, we get a new perspective on things and we develop our own personality and opinions. Mine are rooted in my mother’s upbringing. Who I am today is based on her teachings and all my successes, achievements, beliefs, morals, and ideas were founded on her own; I wouldn’t want me to be any other way. And now that I am a little older, I can appreciate all she has done for me more than ever. And its because we are growing older that I pay a special tribute and say thank you for all she has done for me.

My mother is battling breast cancer and while her treatments are helping her overcome this struggle, she is getting older. I hope and pray that she beats her tough battle with cancer and lives for another 30+ years putting her into her 90s and beyond so she can enjoy the world and the world can enjoy her even longer; I don’t know what I would do without her guiding me, comforting me, and listening to me without reservation or judgment. Her ordeal has not only made me aware of how special life is but how we sometimes take advantage of people’s existence forgetting that in a single moment, they could be gone.

So in addition to visiting my mom as often as I can, I make sure to tell her that I love her say thank you to her for all she has done for me. Beyond words, however, I show her how much I am thankful by calling her often, spending time with her, making her comfortable, running errands for her, and doing things for and to her that she can’t do herself; I massage her feet with lotion and clip her nails that are cracked and brittle from the chemotherapy. I make sure to hug her and to smile so she know how happy I am to be around her. And yet, all that I can do can’t even amount to what she has done for me’ I’m hopeful this writing will help everyone else understand how grateful I am for having her be all the things she has been to me.

So when I think about the many things I am thankful for this holiday season, I am thankful that for my mom. I am thankful for her and what she has said and done; I am thankful for the time I have spent with her – and I’m thankful for any more time I have with her. So, Mom, if you are reading this…

Thank you very much for being everything you have been and are to me. I love you very much!

Your Son,
C.G.