A Love That Does Not Alter

“Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds, or bends with the remover to remove. O no! It is an ever-fixed mark that looks on tempests and is never shaken.” ~ William Shakespeare

Life can throw unimaginable curve balls. We all have war stories to share. Some ended in victories and others, we wave the white flag of defeat. However, despite every struggle or success, many of us did not face them alone. Perhaps, you too remember those late nights spent talking through tough issues in anger and with tears that were followed the next day by a plate of freshly baked lemon squares. If you can relate, then maybe you had a mom like mine in your corner.

As kids, we tend to think that our mom has it all together. She tries to make it look that way, but as we get older, we realize that she was just doing her best to keep us safe. She forged a path forward so that our journey would be easier. She led the way so that we had a good example to follow. She sheltered us from pain so we would know a little more happiness. She listened to our fears so we could be more confident. She made mistakes so we could learn the easy way. She cared unconditionally so we would always feel accepted.

This Mother’s Day let us take the time to reflect on the strong women in our lives who sacrificed so we could achieve our dreams and know our worth. To all the moms out there, but especially to mine, thank you for showing us a love that does not alter.