My Mom

     I am very thankful for being born. Without birth there would be no existence. A mom carries a tiny human being in her small abdomen. It grows for an approximate nine months.  Anything and everything could happen during this crucial time. I had always thought that a pregnant mother had the most amazing and beautiful glow. A mom is so beautiful all around.

     My mom had a special glow during seventy-two months of her entire life. During that time it was quite the battle to maintain that awesome glow. She was quite diligent in nurturing that glow with a touch of eye shadow, eyebrow touch-up and always that spot of her special color of lipstick. It was very important for a woman to look her best no matter what. I had seen my mom apply this makeup while holding a baby in her arms on many occasions.

     My mom's life was not a perfect dream but rather a continuous and involuntary choice. Those days of past were filled with demands and very few if any, alternatives in escaping that which was out of her control. She had only made it to senior high school without graduating. She was quickly made to drop out of school to take over the responsibilities that truly belonged to her momma. The momma left the family unit and the four young siblings remained behind.

     Mom had to learn really fast about the domestic techniques of raising siblings and taking full care of a household. That was a lot of pressure for such a young girl. She had to do everything and without any complaints or backtalk. The only escape from this huge responsibility was to fall in love and elope. Now her life would start on a whirlwind filled with joys and sorrows while starting a family of her own. A family that would add up to eight siblings in total.

     If that was not enough pressure my mom opened her doors taking in foster children. This selfless choice gave my mom amazing strength and purpose. Childhood was quite interesting. Every child had a perfect measure of discipline in every aspect of their growing lives from an infant child right into young adulthood. Multiple, endless, trying, difficult and yet satisfying moments made all the siblings strong to their very core.

     There were times when mom was laid up to rest with all sort of sicknesses. She could not remain laid up to rest for very long though because of all the responsibilities that lay in waiting. There was a great blessing from time to time when the older siblings would step up to the plate and maintain the running of the household. It was always the way of our immediate family.