WRITE TEAM: A glimpse of truth

Mother’s Day will be passed by the time this column is published, but that’s no reason to not take this opportunity to celebrate my mother and thank her for all she’s done, not just for me but also for many others.

My mother was and still is an active part of my life. I owe much to her. If not for her, I would likely not be as academically advanced as I am, nor would I have the common sense that I do. I would never have started homeschooling, either, had she not helped me. She’s the one who inspired my love of reading and drawing, and, more importantly, she’s the one who’s always encouraged me to follow my dreams. She taught me to love and respect God, and, next to giving birth to me, that’s perhaps her greatest gift to me.

For years, she worked and volunteered at the schools my sister and I attended as a cafeteria, recess, and field trip monitor; a teacher’s assistant; and a room mom. She baked cakes and other goods for school functions and teacher appreciation weeks. Whenever she saw a child being mistreated, she didn’t hesitate to stop it, and she would have done so even had she not been a licensed childcare provider obligated to prevent child abuse. She was involved in the removal and demotion of three teachers because they mistreated their students. She also persuaded the school board to start poetry classes in those schools with a presentation she labored a week to create. The credit she should have received was given to another.

She started her own daycare and became a power seller on eBay in order to spend more time with her children and give other children the care their working parents couldn’t. When we were older, she started taking real estate classes but discontinued them to move her stepmother to Illinois and find her a place to live that was close enough for us to assist her.

My mother has always given what she could to those in need. I remember that even during her violent divorce, when everything was falling apart, we went out at Christmas time a few years in a row and randomly gave presents to people, homeless and otherwise. CDs, games, books, movies, clothes, toys—anything we could find that was in new condition, we wrapped and handed out, even bringing some gifts to nursing homes for the people whose families didn’t visit them. It was my mother’s desire to do so, just as it was always her desire to make people happy with homemade sweets when possible.

This is, of course, just a glimpse of how my mother really is. Since reading “To Kill A Mockingbird” by Harper Lee, I’ve often likened her to a mockingbird, a creature who shares its song with those around it whether they listen or not. Well, my mother lends her help and kindness to others when she can and often when she shouldn’t, whether anyone is thankful for it or not. Since she has rarely received recognition or thanks, and since she wasn’t ever one to seek any, I’m going to give that to her here. Thank you for everything, Ma. I love you, and I wish I could give you more. Happy Mother’s Day.

KAYLA COOK has lived in Ottawa since 2011. She can be reached by emailing tammies@mywebtimes.com.