My Mother has blue sapphire eyes. She has a mole in between her eye brows- as a child I was fascinated with it. She can wear her hair long or short, she has the shape of face that can do both. She has strong hands- hands that have played the piano for years, hands that have held onto children and carried babies. She is tiny- has tiny feet, a tiny body, and a tiny nose. Except for her eyes- her eyes are big and stand out. 

My Mother had six of us. I was the third. She was a young Mom. She had braces when I was a toddler. She went back to school when I was four, with four young children at home. She became a teacher. She started as a music teacher and had productions like nothing I’ve ever seen. Later she had my two little sisters and went back to school to become a counselor. 

My Mother has the patience of a saint. She has a look that will make you stop in your tracks. She has a soft voice, and a strong laugh. She taught me how to sing, and the nights I’ve slept best are the nights she was playing the piano as I was falling asleep. 

My Mother taught me about hope. She taught me about not giving up on people. She taught me about believing in miracles. She taught me about believing God- every day. 

My Mother is kind. She fights for the underdog. She always has. She is meek until you mess with her kids. She taught me how to stick up for myself. She taught me to be appreciative. She taught me about unconditional love. 

My Mother loved me as a teenager…in my green haired Lolapalooza Grunge Phase. She encouraged my theatre. She was my first audience, and clapped the loudest. We got our noses pierced on Mothers Day one year- proving she is the coolest mother out there. 

  
My Mother taught me about charity. We gave Christmas to a beloved family with nothing, in a childhood where we didn’t have a lot. I became rich from learning about the importance of helping others. 

My Mother told me I was a writer, before I knew I could write. She kept every poem I wrote. Every story. She listened to every comedy routine I came up with. She laughed even when I wasn’t funny. She believed in me when teachers didn’t, when I didn’t.  
 She wasn’t perfect. She was always the first to apologize. She taught me how to forgive. 

I’m like my Mother. I cry when I’m angry. I make birthdays special. I love my children fiercely, as individuals. My mother taught me that every person has beautiful gifts and we need to celebrate them. 

My Mother taught me how to listen. She taught me to be aware of others feelings. She taught me compassion. She taught me it wasn’t just about me and the best gift I can give is by just being present. 

 My Mother will tell you she made a lot of mistakes. She’ll tell you she could have done better. I got that trait too…but mark my words- I was led by an amazing example. Not a perfect example…but an example that taught me love.

The kind of Love that doesn’t give up on a person. The sort of Love that fights in little and big ways. The sort of Love that believes  in the power of the human spirit. The sort of Love that celebrates the individual. 

Today is the day my Mother was born. Today is the day where she entered the world and started changing it. Not for glory, but the good of it. She is the first person I met- and she has always been there for me.  

 My daughter looks exactly like her. It was one of the greatest gifts God gave me, a little girl with my Mothers Face. A little girl who started changing the world since the day she was a heartbeat in my belly. 

So here’s to you…my beautiful beautiful Mother. Thank you for teaching me so very much, and loving me so very well…just thank…you. I love you. 

Happy Birthday. 

You are so loved.