MOTHER


The young mother set her foot 
on the path of life.
“Is this the long way?” she asked.


 
And the guide said 
“Yes, and the way is hard.
And you will be old 
before you reach the end of it.
But the end will be better 
than the beginning.”


 
But the young mother was happy, 
and she would not believe that anything
could be better than these years.



So she played with her children, 
she fed them and bathed them,
and taught them how to tie their shoes 
and ride a bike
and reminded them to feed the dog,
and do their homework 
and brush their teeth. 



The sun shone on them, 
and the young Mother cried,
“Nothing will ever be 
lovelier than this.”


 
Then the nights came,
and the storms,
and the path was sometimes dark,
and the children shook with fear and cold,
and the mother drew them close 
and covered them with her arms,
and the children said, “Mother,
we are not afraid,
for you are near, 
and no harm can come.”



And the morning came, 
and there was a hill ahead,
and the children climbed 
and grew weary,
and the mother was weary.
But at all times she said 
to the children.
A little patience 
and we are there.”



So the children climbed,
and as they climbed 
they learned to weather the storms.
And with this, 
she gave them strength 
to face the world.
Year after year,
she showed them compassion,
understanding, hope, 
but most of all ... 
unconditional love.
And when they reached 
the top they said,
“Mother, 
we would not have done it 
without you.”


 
The days went on, 
and the weeks 
and the months 
and the years,
and the mother grew old 
and she became little and bent.


 
But her children were tall 
and strong, 
and walked with courage.
And the mother, 
when she lay down at night,
looked up at the stars and said, 
“This is a better day than the last,
for my children have learned so much
and are now passing these traits 
on to their children.”


 
And when the way 
became rough for her,
they lifted her, 
and gave her their strength,
just as she had given them hers.


 
One day they came to a hill,
and beyond the hill,
they could see a shining road
and golden gates flung wide. 


 
And mother said
“I have reached the end 
of my journey.
And now I know the end is better 
than the beginning,
for my children can walk 
with dignity and pride,
with their heads held high,
and so can their children 
after them.”



And the children said,
“You will always walk with us, 
Mother,
even when you have gone 
through the gates.”



And they stood and watched her 
as she went on alone
and the gates closed after her.
And they said:
“We cannot see her, 
but she is with us still.
A Mother like ours 
is more than a memory.
She is a living presence.”



Your Mother is always with you.
She’s the whisper of the leaves 
as you walk down the street,
she’s the smell of 
certain foods you remember,
flowers you pick 
and perfume that she wore,
she’s the cool hand on your  brow 
when you’re not feeling well,
she’s your breath in the air 
on a cold winter’s day.
She is the sound of the rain 
that lulls you to sleep,
the colors of a rainbow,
she is Christmas morning. 


 
Your Mother lives inside 
your laughter.
And she’s crystallized 
in every tear drop.



A mother 
shows every emotion ... 
happiness, sadness, 
fear, jealousy,
love, hate, 
anger, helplessness, 
excitement, joy,
sorrow ...
and all the while,
hoping and praying 
you will only know 
the good feelings in life.

 

She’s the place you came from,
your first home,
and she’s the map you follow 
with every step you take.

 

She’s your first love,
your first friend,
even your first enemy,
but nothing on earth 
can separate you.
Not time, not space 
... not even death!



Author Unknown