My Mother Taught Me How To Be Strong

When I think of motherhood, my first thought is strength. If you're anything like my mom, you had to have that to survive. She's the strongest lady I know. At the age of 19, in 1972 she had her first baby. Even at a youthful age, she had to overcome tragedy. In her teens and early twenties, she lost two brothers. One died in a car accident and the other was fatally shot. Losing a sibling is pain I hope no one ever has to endure. I know about this suffering, but I couldn't imagine how she felt grieving the death of two in such a short time.

She managed to keep going on like the boss mom she is to raise my oldest brother. A few years down the road, she had another son named Christopher. I only know of him from pictures and stories because, once again, tragedy struck her. In 1986 at the sweet young age of 7, Christopher died in a horrific pellet gun accident. This isn't my story to tell, but from what I can say, the gun went off, and he was shot between the eyes. He died 24 hours later. I don't know how she felt after that, but I'm sure the anguish from this was unbearable. I don't think any pain can compare to the loss of a child. I'm not sure how she kept going, but she did.

My mom was pregnant with my oldest sister when Christopher passed on. Two months later she had her. Yet she still withstood the distress and continued on to care for and love her new baby girl. Not long after that, she brought another baby girl into the world, my other sister. My existence wasn't even a thought at this juncture, so I don't exactly know all the facts. But my mom and her husband at the time ended up getting a divorce. He was a truck driver, so I do know he was on the road a lot. Here she was, raising her young daughters alone most of the time. I will add this guy wasn't a bad man. I did grow up to know him, and got to spend some of my adolescents camping and going on adventures with my sister's and their dad. He was a great father to them.

My mom ended up getting remarried in February of 1990. Soon after that, in December of 1990 I made my appearance into the world. Fifteen months later she had my little brother. Growing up, she was never short of love and support. She never let her grief and pain keep her from loving us with all she had. Sometimes sorrow and darkness can change a person for the worst but not my mama. She's a fighter! Her light is too intense to get lost in the emptiness.

My mom, of course, taught me right from wrong. However, I didn't always think she was right, but that never stopped her from teaching and pushing me to do better. I was a hellcat as a teenager and I'm sure I'm the reason why her hair started going grey. I've made my fair share of mistakes. Like when I got married at 18. She tried her damnedest to stop me. I was young and dumb and didn't listen. She never judged or gave up on me. She stood by me through all my shenanigans, even though I was in the wrong. She was always there with her arms wide open.

In July of 2013, I had my very first gut-wrenching tragedy. I lost my boyfriend and the father to my son in a car accident. I got the news in the middle of the night from the town Sheriff and a Chaplain. My little brother lived in an apartment above me at the time. The Sheriff woke him up and he ran down as fast as he could. He immediately called my mom, and she came to my rescue. They stayed with me that night, comforting me and helping with my infant son. My mom laid in bed with me, consoling me as I cried myself to sleep. Both of them became my rock to lean on in my time of despair. In those next few months, I found my strength. My mom was never short of compassion. She showed me how to get my life back and helped me find my glow again.

Sadly, the tragedy in our family didn't end there. Less than a year later, in March of 2014, my little brother died in a car accident along with his pregnant fiancé and her three-year-old daughter. My mom had lost yet another son, and I lost my best friend. We also never got to meet the baby boy they had on the way.

Things like this can cause a family to shatter beyond repair. In this loss the bond between my mom and I became even more powerful! We got each other through the trauma and came out even stronger. I can't lie and say the pain goes away because it doesn't. I've learned from my mama though that misery doesn't mean it's the end. You take it as a lesson and create more courage to move forward.

Although I'm an adult now, I will never stop needed my mom. No one can compare to her in my eyes. To me, she is extraordinary and I hope as I grow older I am able to become even half the woman she is. She will always be my Wonder Woman, strong and unstoppable.