Billy Joe Shaver said (roughly), "I know beyond the shadow of a doubt, it doesn't cost a person a thing to be faithful, honest and true...I wouldn't be me without you."
I know Mother's Day is tomorrow, but there's never a bad time to tell your mom you love her.
I remember in elementary school (1st or 2nd grade, I think) I came home upset. I had gotten in a fight with another kid during recess. My dad told me to handle the situation one way. My mother told me another. She told me to "kill him with kindness." Of course there's instances where different forms of persuasion are necessary, but I remember those three words my mom gave me.
When I used to get hurt, I had a tendency to (as stupid as it is) blame inanimate objects. I was a creative child, and often played basketball with door frames. I had mastered every door-frame-dunk imaginable: the tomahawk, the windmill, 360 windmill, and Jordan's Jumpman. When I was about 12, one of my door-frame-dunks resulted in me nailing my elbow on the door frame, but not in the literal sense. True to my nature at the time, I blamed the door frame. My mom was quick to correct me, "it's not what goes in your mouth that defiles you, it's what comes out. You know what it sounds like when you blame the door frame? Stupid!"
Don't let the exclamation mark mislead you - my mom was (and still is) full of too much grace to raise her voice distastefully.
That dunk taught me one lesson, and it wasn't that I should quit perfecting my reverse on door frames: it was to accept responsibility for my actions.
It took me a long time, I know, mom, but I know that whether I win or lose, or succeed or fail, that it's a result of my own doing.
Don't worry about me, I learned from you.
You are a saint, mom.
Happy Mother's Day.
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