Mom, A Boy's First Love

As Mother's Day approaches, one cannot help but think of the Mother in their lives. Sometimes the person we call Mom is not our biological Mother. It could be an Aunt or Grandmother, or any influential women in a person’s life. Regardless of the relationship, Mother's Day is about celebrating the most important women in our lives. I am fortunate enough to have a wonderful Mother who would do anything to make sure I was happy and safe. While not all family relationships are as easy, it is important to at least remember the most basic of things. Without our Mothers, none of us would be here today. So, if nothing else, your Mother deserves love and respect for that. For me, the love for my Mother is unmatched and undying. It has been that way for as long as I can remember, and I think most men can relate to a special bond with their Mothers. There is some truth behind the phrases Mama's boy and Daddy's little girl.

The bond between Mother and child is forged even before birth. There is no comparison to having a living being growing inside you. When born, it is almost as if their animal instincts take over. From that point on, their child comes first, their own needs second. As a child, your Mother is there for you 24/7. From cooking to cleaning, to being a chauffeur and personal shopper, our moms do just about everything for us. Whenever there is a problem, Mom is the one who solves it. If you skin your knee, no medicine could compare to a Mother's touch. When you were sick, did anything feel better than having your Mom by your side? It was almost as if she felt your pain, and in many ways, I'm sure she did. Mom was the one you always wanted to make proud, and whose disappointment you felt the most.

As a teenager, things changed only slightly, at least for me. I was never the wild and rebellious type, so my Mother and I still got along. For some, the teen years can be a time where your parents are just the most embarrassing people on the planet. Everything they do seems to be to humiliate you, even when you know that is not the case. I know these years are about discovering you and forming an identity, but luckily for me I was never embarrassed by my Mother. The worst thing is probably the adjustment period for Mothers; going from doing everything for their kids to the kids wanting to be independent. That must take a mental toll on Mothers, seeing their kids go from dependent to independent. Fortunately, the teenage years are just a brief period.

Once you become an adult, you realize the importance of being yourself, even at the expense of what your peers may think. This is often a time of mutual respect between parent and child. You can now legally drink in front of your parents, and they do not have as much influence over our daily decisions. In a good relationship, they are still sought out for advice and encouragement. Your Mother truly knows you like no one else, and can always be counted on to tell you things straight. She has no secondary motive, so you know you can trust her words. While your Mother will always consider you her child, adulthood is when you can become more like friends; sometimes even the opposite is true.

No child and parent relationship is the same, or perfect for that matter. That is probably the most important thing to realize. There is no standard one should be trying to reach or attain. Just treat your Mother with love and respect. The sacrifices she made may never fully be recognized until we have children of our own. Then we may finally know just what it means to be a parent. I am truly blessed to have a Mother whom I like, love and respect. I treat her as if every day is Mother's Day. I know not everyone has the same relationship with their Mother, but I think in a perfect world they would. I love you Mom, forever and always.