Prosaic Paradise

This post is an entry in the January Living Out Loud project by my friend Genie. Her challenge was to write a public love letter, which I have been scared of until this afternoon, because to me the task was so daunting. Next time I’ll have to warn everyone so they can participate too.

Dear Mom,

We are not a family of letter writers. Heck, we are not even a family of email writers. But when Genie challenged me to write a love letter, I thought immediately of someone I know who doesn’t get to hear how much I love them.

You’ve always done everything you can to protect me from whatever might hurt me, and I know you give yourself way too hard of a time about whether you did a good job. But you also knew when to let up and let me make my own mistakes. You worked your ass off and made long-reaching sacrifices to send me to good schools but when it came time to decide on a college, you tried to guide me but you didn’t try to force my hand.

You taught me the value of a dollar – I know it seems like I still haven’t quite got it, but believe me, even though it took a long time to get through my thick skull it has penetrated. Your example of careful thrift while recognizing and seeking quality is something I would hold up as an example to anyone.

I always gave you a hard time about your “phone voice” but even then I was learning important lessons about how to productively interact with people that I would integrate into my own interpersonal relations, largely without even knowing it. Salesmanship and self-promotion did not come naturally to me, and sometimes that is what you need to get what you want in life.You taught me that too.

And the one thing that goes beyond all of this is that I never, ever had to doubt that you loved me. No matter what stupid situation I got myself into or how much you disagreed with my choices I knew you still loved me and you didn’t even have to say anything, your behavior showed me.

I definitely wonder if I could ever be as good a mom when the time comes. It would be tough. I am so lucky to have you for my mom.

Love, your daughter,

Kim

Trackback URI | Comments RSS