I don't have children and I lost my mom to pancreatic cancer.
Nevertheless, I have plenty of reasons to celebrate Mother's Day.
I still think about my mom every day.
I celebrate the sacrifices my mom made for me to grow up in the U.S.
I admire how brave she was to have a baby (me) in a new country and new culture.
I contemplate her learning a completely new language so she could get a job and fit in.
I think about how smart and educated she was.
About how her credentials didn't mean as much in the U.S. as they did in former Czechoslovakia and how frustrating that must've been.
Immigrating must've been terrifying. And, exciting.
Mostly terrifying, I imagine.
She didn't talk much about her experiences, so I pieced much of the story together over the years.
I'm grateful for all that she and my dad went through to give me and my sister a better life.
I appreciate my relationships with those they left in their home country.
They endured things that I likely know little to nothing about.
They are a tie to her that I'm so grateful for.
Even though I'm motherless, my mother's spirit lives in me.
And for that, I am eternally grateful.
What parts of her live in me?
There is a long list of positive and some not-so-positive things.
I’m happy to have all of it.
What parts of your mom live in you?
Think about it and hug your mother if you're so inclined today.
Maybe it's only a hug in your mind and that's ok.
While you're at it, give her a hug from me, too.
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