Mothers, How To Become Majestic In The Eyes Of Others

Showing your impressive beauty or dignity! A thank you note to my mom.

My Mom’s Story

Mother’s Day raises mothers on a pedestal for the day. I want to share this story as a thank you note to my mom. So, whether you can praise your mother with your love in person or only in your heart is personal. We all have a story.

This is such a blessed holiday, yet it can be emotionally challenging for some due to the relationships we have with our mothers — especially if your childhood was not what you would have loved or deserved. My heart goes out to everyone who has to live on in this world without their mothers!

The year after the devastating loss of life from COVID we must remember everyone, not just mothers. However, due to this holiday, I especially want to pause and embrace our majestic mothers!

My mom suffered two mini-strokes last April — on April 6, 2020, to be exact. I will never forget the morning that forever changed our lives as we knew it. Thank God she is still with us, and this year I will raise her high on a pedestal.

She lost her left peripheral vision in both eyes, jumbling her eyesight.

She struggles to complete her daily tasks, not because of a lack of motivation (okay, maybe some days) but because everything takes twice as long.

What if we had to complete our daily tasks with glasses that jumble our eyesight?

Let’s pause, please, for a moment and express gratitude for all of our blessings!

My mom is honestly the most amazing woman, and I give her so much admiration for continuing to carry on while showing such strength and dignity!

Our days together consist of therapy in an office once a week with a therapist and at home daily with me. These moments together can be challenging at times, yet they have brought us closer daily.

She has never played the sympathy card or even had a pity party — or if she has, it’s been behind closed doors!

Younger Self

These are just my own thoughts based on who my mother appears to be.

I’m wondering what her younger self would tell her about all the experiences she has overcome in her lifetime.

Would she tell her that she was going to be okay? Would she tell her to never take anything for granted? Would she tell her to live it up while she had the energy? How might she express her true gratitude toward the person she grew up to be?

What about those dreams in that little girl’s heart — did she live them out? What would my mom say to her in return?

Perhaps she’d say: Please stop worrying about the things you cannot change and take the steps to change the things you can. Maybe you could learn to accept that there will be troubles in this lifetime, yet there’s nothing you can’t overcome.

She also would tell her younger self, how much she is loved by her mother and father, how proud it made her that she was always smiling and having fun.

I know she would tell her how beautiful she is on both the inside and outside!

I know she would also tell her…

“If you can’t eat it, you don’t need it.” — Mary Therrien (these are her famous words!)

Current Self

What might she say to herself in her current situation? I know she would say it could be worse!

“I’m never bored,” she might say. “I’m lucky to be content no matter my circumstances.

“I have lived a great life. I have loved and lost, yet have three beautiful girls. Each has grown up to share their amazing families with me.”

I know she would say never to hold a grudge or hold back saying something to express how you love someone.

I know she would say to live each day to the fullest because you just never know what might happen.

I know she would give the shirt off her back or honestly buy you one if you expressed you loved hers.

I also know that the next time you get angry while driving in traffic, she would tell you to pause and be grateful. She would do anything to start her car up and take a drive.

However, for now, my mom will follow in her mother’s footsteps who also had to settle for a ride.

Future Best Self

I’m pretty sure that even though she cannot see clearly, her eyes are on the prize to see fully again one day.

I know that she is currently giving her all to therapy in the hopes that she could someday drive again.

I know that although she is a quiet lady at times, she is love. She lives by the adage, “If you don’t have something nice to say, then don’t say anything at all.”

She is majestic and dignified, and I’m proud to follow in her footsteps. I can only hope to be half the amazing woman like her.

Be A Blessing Today

How can we spread our love to those around us? Whether you are a mom, dad, or unmarried, we have a way of being toward others.

What might your younger self say to you if they knew all the accomplishments, challenges, struggles, or battles you have endured? Would they be proud of you? Would they tell you it will be fine because some of your biggest challenges bring the biggest blessings? How might you bless someone today?

What would you say to the little child who still lives inside you? Would you tell them how strong, brave, dignified, majestic, and loving they are?

Would you tell them there isn’t anything they can’t achieve in this lifetime? Don’t let them down.

Would you perhaps tell them to slow down and just be who they are and stop working so hard to find their purpose because their purpose will not be found here on earth? Their purpose is neatly wrapped up in heaven as a gift for the appointed time in the future.

For NOW, just live with a heart full of love to pour out onto others. Fill yourself up with GOD until His love is overflowing onto those within your field of influence daily.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Thank you, Trista Signe Ainsworth, for this memory-producing publication, Thank You Notes.