Happy Mother's Day...

I wanted to write a post today to wish a happy Mother's Day, mostly to my mom, but also to all the mothers in my life. Not having children myself, I find myself constantly in a state of awe over the boundless love and selfless devotion that women find within themselves once they bring a life in to the world. So, I wanted to write something today to acknowledge the profound relationship between mother and child -- but I struggled.

I've been trying to think of something to write for a whole week now. Everything I thought of seemed trite or inadequate. My mom and I have always been very close. She is the person I turn to when I'm upset, when I'm happy, when I'm proud, or when I just have a random thought that I want to share with someone. She has always been there for me.

I saw an article on CNN.com this week, where people had written in about the best gift their mother ever gave them. Some people took the prompt literally, and wrote about jewelry or books they'd received. Some wrote about things their mothers had taught them, like how to cook, or how to garden. But when I thought about it, the best gift I ever got from my mom is the gift she continues to give me every day: her time.

The older I get, the more I realize how special it is to be a priority in someone's life, and my mom has always made me a priority in hers. Granted, we both benefited from her ability to be a stay-at-home mom, but if there is one thing I noticed growing up in a privileged neighborhood, it is that being a stay-at-home mom is no assurance that a mother is actually dedicating time and attention to her children. My mom, however, has always put me first, regardless of whatever else she had going on in her life, or how inconvenient it was to her. And, she is still there whenever I need her, to lend an ear or lend a hand.

For that, I want to say, "Thank you, Mom." I have been so unimaginably lucky to have you in my life. Happy Mother's Day!