My mother is unlike mothers of late. It was her that inspired the flicker in my heart to burst fourth and create with pen and paper. It was her that showed me I had hit rock bottom but there was a man who could carry me out. It was her that followed me into the dark valleys of my youth, lantern in hand. It was her that spoke to my spirit when I knew something wasn’t right with that one man whom we don’t speak of. It was her that in the midst of sorrow reminded me of my purpose; life is fleeting but all we have to hold is what is eternal. It was her that taught me how to write, how to sing with my spirit, and it was her that showed me a path set before me. It was her that showed me what type of man to marry and it is her that shows me how to raise a family.
My mother is unlike mothers of late. She knows everything about you and your day by one misplaced word in a text. She hears the quiver of my lips over the phone before I’m about to spill out. She recognizes the pain in my face when my insides twist and turn with writhing gluten-intolerance pain. She is familiar with the way my hair is parted and I promise you she probably counted every strand at one point. She is detailed oriented so much so that she knows when a tassel on a pillow is missing thread from across the room. She is never forgetting your importance or the things you hold dear. She’s the one that calms the emotional battles and stops the tears from flowing; she’s the one that walks right in front of you during spiritual wars wielding sword and shield.
My mother is unlike mothers of late. She is refreshing to my soul, a leader worth the following. She holds my heart in her pocket and my soul in her hands. She is kissed by Gods grace and is smothered in His love. She radiates His mercy and speaks with wisdom. Her words mirror that of our Kings and abundant grace slips out from in-between her lips.
My sweetest mother, you are worth every celebration, every card, phone call, trip down to Castle Rock, and every word of love. You are a queen I wish everyone got to be raised by. Thank you for your dear life, for your spirit, and for taking on the challenge of raising a daughter like me: a daughter who only hopes to be half of you.
Shelby is a member of the Fort Collins Christian Church.
