An Angel Walks Among Us

How typical is it to say that your mother is the one person who has been there for you, but for me, my mom has exceeded in kindness, love and compassion more than any other person I have encountered. Not only towards me but towards all those that she loves.

This exceptional human being worked several jobs to ensure that we had the basic necessities of life. During Christmas, she took on other odd jobs to ensure that Christmas was a magical event. Somehow she still managed to make every assembly, school pageant, and sports event that my brother and I had. She was always there to cheer us on.

Her house was welcome to all our friends. When kids in the neighborhood ran away they came to our house. She would take them in and work it out with their parents so that each of them had a cooling off period. A close friend of ours was without his parents during Christmas and she invited him to spend it with us. She took things that she had bought herself and gave them to him. Thanksgiving was no different. Even though money was scarce, every stray person always found a welcome seat at our Thanksgiving table.

When the teenage years hit and I ventured to live with my other parent, I shortly realized that having money did not make a place a home. It was mom who made it home. When life became unbearable and I attempted to take my own life, she flew across country the very same night to be at my bedside. She didn't yell or cry when she saw me. She dumped a box full of stuffed animals on my hospital bed and just sat and talked to me. She has always been the one person who brings me solace.

When I was sexually assaulted by my step-brother, and my father turned his back on me, my mother, brother, and step-father, Rick, were the only family I had left. I was shipped back to California as a shattered soul, leaving my mother to pick up the pieces once again, and she did. Within a week's time, she turned her back porch into more than livable bedroom with all the things a young girl needed. She endured endless hours in waiting rooms while I went to counseling never showing her hurt that I could not talk to her about it.

My mom bit her tongue, as much as she could, when she knew I was with an unworthy man whom I eventually married. She paid for and planned my "dream" wedding knowing with her mother's intuition that it wouldn't last. She took my family into her home on numerous occassions when we had no other place to go. She remained stoically silent knowing the cause of our displacement fell on a man who chose not to work. Mom did not jump for joy when the marriage ended but soothed my damaged heart.

She played a vital role in her granddaughter's life as I took on the role of single motherhood and became a comforting guide through my new role. She made sure that my daughter and I never had to do without. She always brought over care packages or made sure I took groceries home, always saying she had bought too much. She lavished her granddaughter with gifts that I could not afford always checking with me first. She never wanted me to feel outshined and ensured that my pride remained intact.

While she took on the role of babysitter/surrogate mother to my daughter so that I could work and go to school, her life was not without serious factors. She became nurse maid to Rick's ailing father as well as taking care of Rick. He was on dialyis for many years. He received a kidney which eventually shut down. Her love goes beyond no limits as she had the doctors run tests to see if she could give her kidney to him. Amazingly, she did match and without hesitation she gave one of her kidney's to Rick to ensure that his life would go on. The amount of sadness we felt when he eventually passed away can never be expressed. Although she had lost the love of her life, she prayed that he would watch over my brother, my daughter and I and not to worry about her.

My mother was recently diagnosed with a type of arthritis that will eventually cause her to lose her ability to walk and already causes her severe pain yet her heart and soul remain intact. She still holds her head up high and continues to be my solid rock to lean on.

Recently, I had a nervous breaddown which caused me to seek crisis intervention. My mom remained by my side throughout, several times staying the night. She cried with me when I had no hope, dying inside because she couldn't mend my wounds. My mother pulled every trick out of her endless bag, taking me to a day spa, shopping, and even holding me up when my legs would not work. I know as a mother that the emotional pain of not being able to help your child is hard enough, but now that my sanity has returned, I think of the physical sacrifice she endured during this time. She stayed several nights without her medication and held me up when she could barely hold her own body up.

I can only pray that I can lead such a moral and self-sacrificing life as my mother has and additionally pray that I will be able to pass those blessings on to my own children.

Rachael, CA
Posted: October 16, 2008

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