Mom
On this day of all holidays, everyone's got a story. We all have memories of days gone by with mom. That is what makes this holiday so universal. It appeals to all of us and pulls at our collective heartstrings.
As a young boy growing up in the 1970s and 1980s, my mom was a single mother surrounded mostly married parents. She worked her tail off at dead-end factories and in-between found time to be my mother and father as best as she could. With no father figure in the home, I did what many boys do; I looked outward for those role models. They came in the form of gang members and drug dealers. They were the only seemingly "strong" and powerful men in my neighborhood. To a young boy with no other frame of reference, they were the entrepreneurs, the smart guys in my very limited world view.
At times, in an effort to be closer to these men, I found myself happily and willingly in the midst of trouble. Similar to the now infamous/famous "Baltimore mom" there were times my mother made her way between thugs, drug dealers and very dangerous men to go save me from myself. In all fairness there were times when a very hard-headed Jose Velazquez wasn't going to listen to reason and on those occasions, she had to use a heavy hand to smack me back into reality. I don't condone violence, especially towards children, but I understand how a mother in a particular situation can feel like she has no other/better option than to do whatever she has to do to save her child, even if it is from him or herself. If you've ever read my blog before you know I hold my mother in the highest regard and consider her my hero. She saved me.
Hopefully your history with your mom is less "dramatic" than mine. Hopefully your history is filled with beautiful memories of the woman who served as the center of your family. In my case, my mother was not just the center, she was the "whole" of my family. She really was my everything while growing up.
On this very special day when we celebrate our moms, let us really put into context just how amazing they are. Mothers are the glue that holds families together. They are the keepers of our traditions. They are our first teachers and doctors and friends. They are our first heroes and sometimes if we're lucky, heroes for life.
Finally, a special shoutout to our single moms who are doing it all on their own. You hold a special place in my heart.
A shoutout to our pet moms who may or may not have children, but truly love and care for dogs, cats, birds, fish, etc. You are mommas too and this is your day as well.
And finally finally, a huge shoutout for the least-recognized type of mom out there, the small percentage of men who are having to fill the role of mother and father. Generally speaking, men don't always have the emotional and nurturing "skills" that women inherently do. But there are men out there who find themselves thrust into a single parent situation and the best of them find a way to learn those skills to be the best parents to their children.
Happy Mothers Day!
As a young boy growing up in the 1970s and 1980s, my mom was a single mother surrounded mostly married parents. She worked her tail off at dead-end factories and in-between found time to be my mother and father as best as she could. With no father figure in the home, I did what many boys do; I looked outward for those role models. They came in the form of gang members and drug dealers. They were the only seemingly "strong" and powerful men in my neighborhood. To a young boy with no other frame of reference, they were the entrepreneurs, the smart guys in my very limited world view.
At times, in an effort to be closer to these men, I found myself happily and willingly in the midst of trouble. Similar to the now infamous/famous "Baltimore mom" there were times my mother made her way between thugs, drug dealers and very dangerous men to go save me from myself. In all fairness there were times when a very hard-headed Jose Velazquez wasn't going to listen to reason and on those occasions, she had to use a heavy hand to smack me back into reality. I don't condone violence, especially towards children, but I understand how a mother in a particular situation can feel like she has no other/better option than to do whatever she has to do to save her child, even if it is from him or herself. If you've ever read my blog before you know I hold my mother in the highest regard and consider her my hero. She saved me.
Hopefully your history with your mom is less "dramatic" than mine. Hopefully your history is filled with beautiful memories of the woman who served as the center of your family. In my case, my mother was not just the center, she was the "whole" of my family. She really was my everything while growing up.
On this very special day when we celebrate our moms, let us really put into context just how amazing they are. Mothers are the glue that holds families together. They are the keepers of our traditions. They are our first teachers and doctors and friends. They are our first heroes and sometimes if we're lucky, heroes for life.
Finally, a special shoutout to our single moms who are doing it all on their own. You hold a special place in my heart.
A shoutout to our pet moms who may or may not have children, but truly love and care for dogs, cats, birds, fish, etc. You are mommas too and this is your day as well.
And finally finally, a huge shoutout for the least-recognized type of mom out there, the small percentage of men who are having to fill the role of mother and father. Generally speaking, men don't always have the emotional and nurturing "skills" that women inherently do. But there are men out there who find themselves thrust into a single parent situation and the best of them find a way to learn those skills to be the best parents to their children.
Happy Mothers Day!
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