HAPPY MOTHERS' DAY MAMA J

I WAS A BRATTY YOUNG TEENAGER
FINALLY HAVING MY DADDY ALL TO MYSELF.
BUT SUDDENLY YOU WERE THERE.
I REMEMBER BEING IMMEDIATELY JEALOUS
OF YOUR BEAUTIFUL STRAIGHT
WAIST LENGTH THICK BLOND HAIR.
AND AS IF THAT WASN'T ENOUGH,
YOU HAD THREE YOUNG SONS IN TOW
WHO WANTED MY DADDY FOR THEMSELVES.
YOU WERE THE INTERLOPERS,
THE ENEMY TO ME.

SWEET ANDY WAS ONE OF THEM THOUGH.
I REMEMBER MEETING HIM AT BUMBLEBEE.
HE WAS WEARING A LITTLE SUIT AND TIE,
AND HE IMMEDIATELY
WRAPPED HIS LITTLE ARMS AROUND MY KNEES,
AND LOOKED UP AT ME
HIS FACE GLOWING,
LOOKING INTO MY EYES SO LOVINGLY.

MAMA, YOU GAVE MY BABY BROTHER TO ME.
BUT HOW DID I REPAY YOU?
I WAS A BRATTY YOUNG TEENAGE GIRL
WHO JUST WANTED HER DADDY ALL TO HERSELF.

I KNOW NOW THAT THINGS THAT HAPPENED
WERE NOT YOUR FAULT.
YOU WERE JUST TRYING TO PLEASE DAD
IN ORDER TO KEEP HIS ANGER AT BAY.

MY FAVORITE MEMORY OF YOU
IS WHEN YOU STAYED UP ALL NIGHT
SEWING MY THREE PIECE SUIT
FOR COUNTRY DAY.
IT WAS BEAUTIFUL
AND YOU HAD WORKED SO HARD.
DID I EVER THANK YOU FOR STAYING UP ALL NIGHT
JUST SO I COULD HAVE SOMETHING PRETTY TO WEAR
FOR SCHOOL THE NEXT DAY?

AND WHO WAS THE FIRST ONE TO GIVE ME A JOURNAL
AND ENCOURAGE ME TO WRITE?
YOU. IT WAS YOU.
SO IF IT WEREN'T FOR ALL OF YOUR ENCOURAGEMENT,
I MOST LIKELY WOULDN'T HAVE THIS BLOG.
AND I PROMISE TO KEEP MY PROMISE TO YOU
AND NOT ONLY PUBLISH BRAVE BUNNY,
BUT RECORD IT SOMEHOW WITH MY OWN VOICE.
YOU ALWAYS LOVED MY BREATHY GIRLY VOICE
WHEN OTHERS WHO WERE THERE TO LOVE ME
JUST MADE FUN.

AND AFTER I WAS MARRIED,
I REMEMBER HOW OVERJOYED YOU WERE
WHEN I GAVE BIRTH TO MY FIRST CHILD.
AND I CAN STILL SEE
SO CLEARLY
YOU HOLDING MY NEWBORN SON SO PRECIOUSLY,
THAT SWEET SMILE OF YOURS
AND A GLOW ON YOUR FACE,
AS ALWAYS.
I CAN'T REMEMBER YOU EVER FROWNING.
YOU HAD DRIVEN ALL THE WAY BY YOURSELF
FROM ARIZONA
JUST TO MEET YOUR NEW GRANDSON.

I WISH I COULD GO BACK.
I WOULD HAVE BEEN NICER TO YOU.
I AM SO FULL OF REGRET.
I MISS YOU SO MUCH
AND I NEED YOU NOW
FOR WHAT I AM GOING THROUGH.
I KNOW YOU WOULD SAY THE EXACT RIGHT THING
BECAUSE YOU LOVE ME.

I'M SORRY I MISSED YOUR BIRTHDAYS,
BUT I ALWAYS REMEMBERED YOU ON MOTHERS' DAY.
SO HOW I AM I EVER TO GET THROUGH 
THIS SUNDAY
WITHOUT YOU?
I KNOW I WILL PROBABLY TRY TO CALL YOU,
AND THEN HEARTBREAKINGLY REMEMBER
THAT YOU HAVE MOVED ON.

I JUST PRAY THAT WHAT I AM WRITING
CAN GET TO YOU SOMEHOW
SO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I REGRET
HOW I TREATED YOU AS A BRATTY YOUNG TEENAGER
JUST WANTING MY DADDY ALL TO MYSELF.
AND I WOULD TELL YOU HOW SWEET AND BEAUTIFUL
YOU WERE
AND HOW MUCH I MISS YOUR SMILE
AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE BY YOUR SIDE
SO I COULD SAY GOODBYE.

BEING WITH YOU AT THE PRECIOUS MOMENT 
CHANGED MY LIFE FOR THE BETTER,
FOREVER,
DRAWING ME CLOSER AND CLOSER
TO MY LORD.

AND AS I LENT DOWN TO SAY GOODBYE
FOR THE VERY LAST TIME,
EVEN THOUGH YOU HAD HAD A MASSIVE STROKE,
YOU WERE SMILING
AND HAD A TEAR IN YOUR EYE.

AND, BY THE WAY,
I CAN'T SLEEP WITHOUT MY BRAVE BUNNY PILLOW
YOU SO ENCOURAGINGLY BOUGHT ME
WHEN OTHERS IN MY FAMILY
HAVE NEVER EVEN TAKEN A SECOND
TO READ ANY OF MY POETRY.

I HAVE TO HOLD
MY BRAVE BUNNY PILLOW
CLOSE TO MY HEART
SO I DON'T FALL APART.

HAPPY MOTHERS' DAY, MAMA J.
WHAT AM I TO DO WITHOUT MY MUSE?

I LOVE YOU.

PROVERBS 12:4

A WIFE OF NOBLE CHARACTER

IS HER HUSBAND'S CROWN.