Thank you Mami Dearest

Thank You Mami Dearest

We are reminded by every form of commercial advertising that this coming Sunday is Mother’s Day but perhaps this is truly one of those holidays that we should be hounded about because mothers are truly the backbone of our families and our society as a whole.

My mother (I call her Mami because that’s how Venezuelans say it) has always been a constant in my life. When I moved to DC, my mother was the only one from my family that I would have bi-weekly calls with. During the time I have lived apart from my mom, I always feel so appreciative of all that she does for me from the little things like giving me a wake up call (across time zones!) to making sure I’m taking care of myself and drinking soup and taking care of my skin. Now that I am living in close proximity to my mom again, it’s almost harder to appreciate her because I see her everyday and sometimes forget to thank her for all the things she does.

As I worry about growing older, I sometimes forget that my parents and my grandparents are aging with me. My maternal grandmother raised me, but now at 80 she seems frail and thin. I value the time that I get to spend with her and constantly remind myself that I should spend as much time with her as possible. Similarly with my own mother, although she is strong and vibrant and acts a youthful 59, I realized just how frail human life could be when she injured herself earlier this year and took more than a month to recover.

Yes, we are reminded to buy cards, flowers, jewelry and to take our mothers out for Mother’s Day to show her our appreciation for all that she does, whether it is worry or nurture. But I believe the best way to show appreciation of all that your mother does is to thank her by spending time with her. It is to let her know you know the sacrifices she has made, that you value her opinion, and that she has done a most excellent job.

I know my mother juggles the role of daughter, daughter-in law, mother and grandmother and it’s a challenge juggling these roles cross generations. This Mother’s Day, I want to be able to convey to my mom how grateful I am for her and say Thank You Mami Dearest!