A Birthday Tribute for My Mom

Happy Birthday Mother-Bear! Look how far we’ve come together.

You started out as “my home”. You nurtured and carried me close to your heart for nine months. You made sure I felt secure and cherished even though we had yet to meet. You went thru labor pains to give me life – (although looking back, those 8-hours were probably easy compared to everything else I’ve put you thru, huh?). You were my protector.

And then one day you became “mama” who cared for me, and bathed me, and sang to me, and made sure my diapers were clean. You taught me how to speak and later on you had to shush me when I started talking too much. You encouraged me to take my first steps yet later on you were also the one who told me to sit still. You made sure I had everything I needed even if it meant giving it up for yourself. You were my provider.

And then you became “mommy” who insisted I be neat and well-dressed all the time. You made sure that my hair was pulled way from my face in a ponytail whenever I went to school (never mind that it was too tight and gave me “Chinese eyes”). You went to every open house, every parent-teacher conference, and every school play I was in (even the one where I played a grizzly bear and had to wear your old fur coat for my costume!). You made sure I had homemade chocolate chip cookies and chicken pies whenever I came home. Not only that – you made sure all my friends were well fed every time I brought them home with me. You were always there at the end of the day to listen to my problems and soothe my hurts away. You were my idol.

From there you became “mom” who chaperoned my first dance, who gave me my first piece of real jewelry, and who was there to cheer me at my graduation. You were there to ground me when I had bad grades and to instill a curfew when I started dating. Never mind that I was the only one in my class who had to be home by midnight on the night of my prom. I was too caught up in angst to see it was for my own good and so I argued and cried and threw tantrums the whole neighborhood could hear. You were tough when you had to be and I grew up better for it. You were my guardian.

You then became “mother” who sat back as I tested my newfound freedom in college and who encouraged me to do what I wanted to do when I got my first job. Never mind that I started with minimum wage and had to work long hours and travel most of the time. You were the silent wind beneath my wings even if I knew you spent many nights worrying and waiting up for me. You gave me my space when I was making important decisions and you held your tongue even if those decisions meant that I was moving away. You bought my plane ticket and saw me off at Berkeley, helping me settle in my first apartment that I was so proud of even though you thought it violated sanitation codes. You were happy and excited for me even if it was hard for you to see me go. You always encouraged me to do what made me happy and you supported my decisions although some were more questionable than others. You were my champion.

And today you are “mother-bear” who gives me the strength whenever I get homesick or discouraged by life. You laugh with me, cry with me, dream with me, pray with me, and humble me when I become too proud. Your cooking tips, entertaining suggestions, and decorating ideas are all invaluable. But most of all I cherish your advice (based on your personal experience) on how to be a great wife and (hopefully soon) a great mother. You are my inspiration.

M-Bear, to me you will always be my home, my protector, my provider, my idol, my guardian, my champion, and my inspiration. But more than all that, I am glad that now, you are also my friend.

I love you. Thank you for all that you are and all that you’ve done. And thank you for patiently waiting 31 years for me to realize all that.