Happy 80th to my beautiful mother

I'm truly grateful to have my mom still, and in such good health that she planned her own 80th birthday party.

A mom's love is like no other. A mom is someone we look up to when we're younger. I likely took advantage of her love as a teenager and didn't understand it until I had children of my own.

Mom's sacrifice a lot of their time, sleep, needs, and reputation sometimes and are often on their knees in prayer on their children's behalf.

An example of this is the love of Mary, the mother of Jesus who watched her Son die a horrible death on the cross. I can't imagine her pain. I only wonder if her reputation was damaged because of those who chose not to believe in Him, who mocked, despised, tortured, and killed Him. Her love for Him was great, but watching Jesus being treated the way He was crushed her.

My own mom has the appearance of being strong, but I wonder if she is a lot like me: it's just an appearance. My mom left home when she was 18 and paid for her own college. She was a high school teacher for many years. I understand the sacrifices she made to ensure my siblings and I had a wonderful childhood: we truly were blessed. I understand her flexibility now in allowing us the freedom to have our own rituals during the holidays. Her pain and loneliness when her children left home. I had sympathy for her when she lost her husband 10 years ago: my father.

Yesterday, we celebrated with her her 80th birthday, and she was bubbly and cheerful, surrounded by many of her friends and family. I hope she feels so loved because she really is, and I know I don't tell her enough.