Mother's Day

Santa Gifts

I sit here today reflecting about all the things my mother gave up so that my siblings and I had all of the things we needed or sometimes wanted. Mom would do without on Christmas so that us kids would have a Christmas want or two along with the needed clothes. I would observe my mother doing laundry using the old Dexter wringer washer instead of the modern automatic washing machines of the time. The clothes were hung out on the clothes line instead of using the dryer to go along with that automatic washing machine. And what about the possible trips to the beauty salon that most women do today. Instead, mom would either cut her hair herself or have her mother over to give her the permanent.

I even recall the pain I put my mother through by doing those things that I knew were wrong. If told or instructed not to do something, that is exactly what I would do. Growing up, I often did not give her the respect she so deserved. She would stand by her husband, my dad, even though she may not have thought his punishment was right. Now days, he would be put in jail for child abuse but back then most of it was common place. Mom put first aid cream on the welts on my back after receiving my punishment via a willow switch. As a step dad, I have vowed never to come close to using this type of punishment, not because it is illegal but I really don´t think it was the correct way to get things across.

Enough of that and back to moms. Now, I watch my lovely wife as she works so hard to give her one and only child, a very beautiful and talented girl, some of those things she was unable to have as a young person growing up. She now is in a work place that she dislikes very much but knows that we need the income. She has given the frequent massages so that her daughter could have her sweet sixteen party. She gave up the house she so dearly loved because her and I became unemployed during the recession of 2008-2009.

Later, I almost died from complications of prostrate surgery on the Christmas holidays. The pain she had to have gone through. Her daughter was with her biological father and told her mother she did not want to return because of my condition. the moving has been hard on her daughter as well. Many times we have heard, "I would rather go live with my dad" or "You´re the worst mom in the world." Those very hurtful words that come out in the heat of anger whenever things don´t go the way the daughter would like. but mom stands by and loves her daughter so unconditionally.

So, to all you dads or step-dads out there, take some time to reflect back on those moments when your wife and/or mother gave up so much for her child.