"I don't think of all the misery, but of the beauty that still remains."

Anne Frank, The Diary of a Young Girl

The Story of a Mother

"But the distressed mother bent down over all the smallest plants, and heard within them how the human heart beat; and amongst millions she knew her child's."
Hans Christian Andersen, The Story of a Mother

In America, today is a special day for celebrating our mothers.  Flowers are sent.  Cards are delivered.  Smiles and well-wishes leap from the lips of children young and old on this day.  In light of this holiday and what it means, I want to introduce you to my mother - who has breathed inspiration into my heart since the day I was born.

Throughout the years I have heard stories of my mother's early life and the strength that she has cultivated through it.  She has never been one to be spared from the stormy seas of life - yet  she has always sailed straight into the center of each storm with her face to the wind.

At the age of 19, my mom's life changed forever with the sudden death of her father, whom she loved dearly.  Even today, it is clear that this event has shaped how she views and loves her own children and family.  With tenacity and strength, my mother tirelessly fights to maintain her relationships - because she knows how precious they really are.

Years later, after building a life and family, my mother gave birth to a disabled child, Ben, who has Down syndrome.    Though painful at first, Ben's birth quickly became a source of joy and pride in my mother's life.  Over the years I have watched in awe of the strength, sinew, and sacrifice that she put forth in nurturing Ben.  Little did she know those 20 years ago that the disabled baby boy she brought home and loved with every ounce of her heart would one day inspire a group of hurting and broken Ukrainian women that are struggling to raise their own children with disabilities.

 

For my most recent trip to Ukraine, I asked my mother to come to Ukraine for a week to spend time with the mothers of children with disabilities.  And, true to form, she generously agreed to give up her time and energy for the sake of counseling these women.  She led group discussions with the mothers, listened to them, met their children, and even led the first-ever Mission to Ukraine Parent Seminar in the hopes of stirring hope into their hearts.

They were broken women.   Women who had been scorned by society and abandoned by both friends and family.  They were women who were told that they were fools for not killing their disabled child at birth.  These women fought for the lives of their disabled children and knew resilience in its true form.  Watching my mom speak to them, it was as if she had known them all her life.  Although they live thousands of miles apart and spoke a different language - my mother was one of them - because she's a fighter too.

She doesn't know it - and I certainly don't tell her as much as I should - but my mother is my daily inspiration.  She has cared for me, supported me, and taught me how to be a better woman.  I can only hope that one day I will be half the mother that she has been for me.  She has helped to shape and mold me into who I am today, and for that I cannot thank her enough.

 

Happy Mother's Day, Mom!