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Truthful, Kind, and Loyal

Happy birthday, Mom!

By Jessica FreebornPublished 3 years ago 4 min read
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Truthful, Kind, and Loyal
Photo by Edward Howell on Unsplash

My mom and I have the same smile. We both love books, Dr. Who, and horses.

It's a running joke that we are practically the same person. Hey, it's good to know where I'll be in 25 years.

One time, we were at the zoo and both happened to see a giraffe. Without looking at each other, we both said, "Hey!" to the giraffe in the same baby-talk tone at the same time.

Then my mom looked at me. "You should be very afraid," she said.

I'm not though. I guess some people are scared of turning out like their parents.

Obviously, those people don't have parents like mine, and I feel truly sorry for them.

It's my mom's birthday this week, and I am excited to be celebrating with her. I've been thinking about the qualities I most admire about my mom. I have managed to narrow it down to my top three.

My mom is...

Truthful

Avoiding the cliché "Honest to a fault," my mom is direct and a terrible liar. It makes it difficult for her to play games that involve false identities or deceiving other players. I haven't actually seen her play poker, but I do wonder...

She's honest about what she does and open about her reasoning behind her actions.

She seeks to stay informed about current events and is able to explain where both sides of the political aisle stand on a particular issue. We love to talk politics together.

My mom has the ability to differentiate fact from opinion, something the world has a lot of trouble doing these days. But when she does give me her opinion, I know that it is genuine. I can know that she is on board with an idea or likes a particular activity, because she is honest about her own feelings.

I can trust her, and that is highly comforting.

Kind

There's a balance people should strive to achieve. It involves being both truthful and kind. My mom walks this line well. She remains honest and direct, but also treats people with kindness.

She's the sort of person who makes sure everyone has enough to eat. She loves having people over for dinner in a casual way that makes people who visit feel like family.

The local food pantry appreciates her regular efforts to supply them with the items they need. At our church, she organizes for people to take meals to church members who are sick or in need of extra help.

My mom reaches out to people so they don't feel lonely. She has a list of people that she writes cards and letters to on a regular basis.

She is an empathetic listener. I tell her that if she were my therapist, I wouldn't be able to afford her. I process things by talking about them, so I like to bounce ideas off of her. This helps me figure out my next steps.

Loyal

My family is the kind of family that doesn't commit halfheartedly. We go all in. When I commit, I keep showing up and don't give up.

I think I get this quality in part from my mom.

Ever since I can remember, my mom has modeled what loyalty and commitment look like. When you have a commitment to something, you follow through even when it's hard or inconvenient. She drove me to dance and karate lessons every time I needed her to, because she wanted me to excel in areas that interested me.

She called her parents every weekend to show she loved them. She goes to church every week and volunteers regularly because she believes in the work the church is doing.

She writes her cards to people consistently.

She taught me to always be on time, because it shows that you respect the people around you. She's the kind of person who gives herself at least five minutes of wiggle room to make sure that she isn't late.

She keeps showing up and does what she does to the best of her ability. People know they can count on her. If she says she's going to do something, you can bet that she will follow through.

As I've gotten older

As I've gotten older, I've grown in my appreciation for my mom's character. Even when things have been hard, she's kept going in her consistent and strong way. I live close to home and get to see her on a regular basis. I am so glad that she is part of my life.

Moms hold a special place in our lives no matter how old we get. I think we don't truly appreciate all they do for us, but we do have moments of clarity when we realize how much they sacrifice for and love us.

And every once in a while, we realize how wonderful they are.

Happy birthday, Mom! I hope your day is brilliant and full of laughter. May it be the start of your best year yet.

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About the Creator

Jessica Freeborn

Passionate writer that is enthusiastic about writing engaging, compelling content. Excels in breaking down complex concepts into simple terms and connecting with readers through sharing stories and personal experience.

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Comments (1)

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  • Sandra Tena Cole11 months ago

    Your mom sounds amazing! I'm obviously late to the party (excuse the pun!) but wish her a happy birthday from me when it comes around again ❣️

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