The Mom Effect

There is something special about Moms, thus the day set aside to celebrate them, right? I can remember a time in my life when this special mom-ness came into play.

I was in high school. I can still remember the time of day, and what shoes I was wearing. It was dusk and I was wearing KangaROOs that were pink and purple. There was a skateboard in our garage, and for whatever reason I thought it would be cool if I taught myself how to ride one. I ran down to the bottom of our driveway where it was flat and hopped on. I could ride for a few seconds and then I'd step off. I'm not the risk-taking daredevil type but I thought I could be. For a few minutes I stuck with it. The sun was slipping behind the trees and the light was dimming. I counted the seconds that I stayed on the board. One one thousand, two one thousand. I think I had gotten up to 6 seconds and I was feeling confident. I became more casual with it, less cautious. I stepped on one last time. The board flew out from underneath my feet and jetted across the road. I got that weird surge of adrenaline that makes the tips of your fingers tingle and I fell backwards. I landed on my right elbow and the asphalt was unforgiving. Pain shot like lightening through my shoulder. I bit down hard and held the tears back. I remember telling myself "Skateboarders don't cry," because standing on a skateboard for 6 seconds qualified me as such. I thought it was silly that I couldn't handle a fall without crying at the age of 17. I retrieved my board and went inside constantly telling myself "Keep it together, Kara, keep it together." My elbow was scratched and bleeding but I could do this.

I wasn't in the house for two seconds when I saw my Mom, she took one look at me and said "What happened sweetie?" I crumpled in her arms like a piece of paper and cried. I don't know if it was the tone of her voice or the concern in her eyes, or merely the fact that she was my mom and loved me but I couldn't bear my bleeding elbow or hurt pride anymore. Even as a 17 year old I knew that I needed her.

She has that special Mom-ness. The kind that gives off love and comfort while letting you know that she is there and you can get through whatever life throws at you. She's helped me through bleeding elbows and parenting woes. She has wiped my tears and held my hand. Ups and downs, goods and bads, she has been their with her special Mom-ness getting me through so I could stand on my own feet.

And I am eternally grateful for that. Maybe one day I can be just like her.

To all Moms and their special Mom-ness. Happy Mother's Day.