Writing Prompt: Mom

Photo by John Gifford My mother had cataract surgery today. She is doing fine, although she spent the whole day a little out of it because they had to give her extra anesthesia.

I don’t like it when my mom is under the weather for any reason. Not only do I hate to see her suffer, but she is my best friend, my sounding board, and my biggest supporter. On the way to surgery this morning she was posting comments to my blog. She will often sit across from me at a table and do the same. I miss her lively conversation when she is out of it, but not her smile. She smiles even when she cries.

She hates being out of commission even for a minute, which makes even simple surgeries big obstacles for her. You see she’s not only my rock, she’s everybody’s rock and she knows it. She doesn’t like to let anyone down. Not even my pugs.

As she groggily shuffled into the kitchen this afternoon to grab a snack, the pugs followed. They are used to her giving them treats and seemed as disturbed as me that she wasn’t up to par. They kept staring at her until she sought help in getting them their cottage cheese. Waffles sat on her lap for most of the afternoon; Alfie at her feet after she had the chance to jump up and sniff her eye. It must have passed inspection.

Many people have commented on my tendency to write about strong women on this blog. My mom is the strongest of all. She shapes how I see the world, so any strength I see or write about comes from her. She doesn’t like to be vulnerable and yet, she let’s me show my vulnerability everyday and flips it on end, making me feel strong. It takes a feisty and stubborn lady to raise a daughter like me; I don’t always make it easy. I fight her and I challenge her because her image of me is so much better than my own. And, yet, what better mirror in which to see myself? She is the best reflection of all that’s right in the world.

Writing Prompt: Who is your mirror?