My mother never forgets to let me know how much she loves me. My mother Arlene, or Arlena if you know that she spent her 20s in Germany and was called Arlena for ten years of her life, is the most amazing woman that I know. My mother has raised my brother and me by herself for the past fifteen years and she would not have wanted it any other way. While my mother was growing up, she never had a real mother figure because her own mother was an abusive alcoholic. Since experiencing such a demeaning childhood, she always knew that that having her own kids to love would be something that she absolutely had to do in her life. My mother never forgets to tell my brother and me that there is nothing that she wanted more in her life than having her own children to love and to raise.
My mother never lets me down and has worked extremely hard all of her life to be the beautiful person that she is...working several jobs through college to pay for it (since her own mother told her she would never go), moving to Germany all by herself and learning the language so she could be a better teacher there, getting her Master's degree with two little kids at home to take care of...the list goes on. While my mother never forgets to remind me how important it is to work hard, she also never forgets to remind me how important it is to play hard. Arlena is well on her way to 60 and she has more energy to have a good time than half of my 22 year old friends.
I don't even know what or where I would be without Arlena and I don't think I want to know. I hope that my mother never forgets that.
My mother never lets me down and has worked extremely hard all of her life to be the beautiful person that she is...working several jobs through college to pay for it (since her own mother told her she would never go), moving to Germany all by herself and learning the language so she could be a better teacher there, getting her Master's degree with two little kids at home to take care of...the list goes on. While my mother never forgets to remind me how important it is to work hard, she also never forgets to remind me how important it is to play hard. Arlena is well on her way to 60 and she has more energy to have a good time than half of my 22 year old friends.
I don't even know what or where I would be without Arlena and I don't think I want to know. I hope that my mother never forgets that.
Very endearing reflection. I hope you share this with her one day.
ReplyDeleteDear Julie,
ReplyDeleteI love your mother. How's that for a response? She is one of the kindest/coolest/most interesting (read: wacky in the best way possible) individuals I have had the pleasure of meeting in my short life. To take one of your lines, I'd call Arlen(e)(a) a "good soul." I don't know her very well - not yet at least (read aloud, that has a "me dating your mother" tone to it) - but what I do know of her I know through you, because (if we're on the same page here) I know you and Arlene is a big part of who you are. To use an Alexism (and why would I ever pass on the opportunity to use an Alexism?), it seems that the two of you are just too good for this world. There isn't a better way to put it. I'd sum all this up by saying you're a lucky little gal to have Arlen(e)(a), but you (of course) already know that. Instead, I will ask you to send this message to her (along with my number and, perhaps, a box of chocolates) with a small note attached: will you go out with me? check yes or no. Looking forward to it!
Michael