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Growing up, my mom was way more than just a regular parent to me; she was like a mentor and a coach all rolled into one. People used to call me “mama’s boy,” but honestly, that never bothered me. I truly valued our bond and all the advice she gave me. Then came the time of my high school graduation exams, and I hit a major bump in the road. I missed just one single point. Can you believe it? That would’ve gotten me a government-sponsored spot in college. When I told my dad about it, his words stung like a bee. He called me a failure and said I’d never become anything. I felt completely crushed at that moment as if I were lost in a fog. I ended up turning to drinking, and I drifted into a life that felt aimless and empty. But my mom? She saw beyond that failure. Even though it strained us financially, she stepped up and sacrificed to pay for my university tui - tion out of her pocket. I still remember her telling me, “Son, you have a bright future ahead of you, and as long as I’m around, you’re not going to fall. Please, don’t let me down. Stop drinking and let go of the self-pity and stress.” Her belief in me lit a fire I thought I’d lost forever. With her backing me up, I found the strength to tackle my challenges, dive into my studies, and carve out a better future. Her unwavering faith was a game-changer, helping me rise above those setbacks and aim for success. Now, I carry her lessons and love wherever I go, and I’m determined to make her proud. I’ve realized that failure isn’t the end of the road; it’s just another step toward a brighter future.
The maternal figure is, without a doubt, one of the strongest in anyone’s life. Socially, we are taught that a mother is synonymous with uncondi- tional love, companionship, and protection. But the truth is, not everyone lives that experience, and that’s okay. In my case, my relationship with my mother has been complex, full of un- answered questions and judgments that, over time, I’ve learned to let go of. For years, I didn’t understand her actions. I clung to what could have been different and to the pain of what I didn’t receive. But now that I am a mother, even though I disapprove of many things I lived through, I can see her story with new eyes, with a bit more understanding, forgiveness, and the certainty that healing is a long but necessary process. I want this message to reach those who haven’t had a present mother, whether due to absence, abandonment, or simply because she did not fulfill that role. To those who feel they can’t idealize their mother because their experience was different, you are not alone. There’s nothing wrong with acknowledging that motherhood, like any human bond, is imperfect. Love doesn’t always show up how we expect it, but we can find it in other places, people, and, most importantly, within ourselves. Forgiving doesn’t mean justifying; it means freeing ourselves from the weight of what we cannot change. In this process, we can build our own stories, breaking cycles and understanding that we can become the love we need even if our mother wasn’t the one we dreamed of. In the end, the most valuable thing we can do is choose to live from love, not from the wound.
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SOURCE OF INSPIRATION
LETTERS TO MOTHERS
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