Thank You Momma
April 5, 2008 by aj
You know I’ve spent the last five months so fixated on reuniting with my father after he was MIA for 30 years - (actually almost 40 - I saw him briefly as a teen) that I’ve neglected to tell my Mother how much I’ve appreciated her always being there for me through it all - even now. She’s encouraged me to focus on the positive with my Dad and she is quite pleased that I’ve made the choice to forgive him.
You see, my mother struggled to raise me alone after my father abandoned us in a foreign country years ago - but my Mom was and is a beautiful, smart, determined and resourceful woman and we MADE IT ANYHOW!
I look back on the days after she and I moved to LA, we were so poor we used a styrofoam ice chest as a refrigerator - but you know what - I never went hungry and I always looked like a million dollars. It seems women, especially black women don’t get enough credit for all they do for their families and in particularly their children. In many cases women are the ones left to raise and care for the children when men choose to be completely self centered and irresponsible. It is many times the women, that must be mother, father, provider, protector and nurturer in a very cruel and dangerous world. One year I actually got a clue and gave my mother both a Mother’s Day and a Father’s Day card - this was AFTER having my own children and realizing just how difficult it must have been for her raising me as a single parent.
While I was a strong willed child during my teen years, I still knew who ran the house and really thought my mom would straight up kill me DEAD if I got too far out of line. I got my fair share of beat downs and getting told the hell off - lol, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world because my mom sacrificed and took the time to actually raise me. Did she always do the right thing? Of course not - she made mistakes as we all do, but she did the right thing at least 85% of the time….. and that’s what matters. You know what - I turned out pretty good. I’ve never been to jail, never done drugs, got in some college and knew how to hold down a job and make a living.
Momma - I think you did good! I love you very much and thank you for always being there for me.
This is a great tribute to your mom. Kudos for all her hard work and sacrifices.
I remember also, when my mom had to put a metal cabinet on our back porch in the winter to keep the food cold. Those were tough times.
Thanks Rosemarie! It seems our mothers knew how to survive! I didn’t even know we were poor - LOL.
That is a great post, thanks for sharing. Single mom’s don’t get enough credit for raising their kids right, and we know how much work that takes. They get all the blame when the kids turn out wrong however, some deserved, most probably not. Anyway, I enjoyed your post.
Welcome DP,
Yeah as soon as the kids mess up - everybody points the finger at the mother (as if the father’s have no responsibility). Our society is quite interesting.
I’m just thankful my Mom had her head screwed on right. Thanks for taking a moment to comment.
Awesome post! What a great tribute to your mother!! I know she is an awesome woman!
Thanks Regina - she has been my rock throughout my life. She’s an awesome woman & the sister still looks good. Today we were out for lunch and she requested the “senior’s discount” - the waiter could barely believe her age when she revealed it. - LOL.
Wow. This is a very sweet AND real post. I will probably never truly understand the struggles and sacrifices my single mama made for me. She, too, is the bestest *smile*!
Welcome Ashe - yeah Momma’s can work it all out - at least the ones that really love their children. I was blessed cause she was ALL I HAD…I was an only child.