Naleighna Kai's Literary Cafe Magazine May - Mother's Day Issue | Page 21

She took care of our father for 41½
years until he was called home a few
months ago. She set the example and
the bar extremely high. Truthfully, I
know that kind of marriage life is not in
my future, because after seeing what she
went through, I wouldn’t be able to live
up to that example, and I’m all right with
it.
She was not a do what I say, not as I do
kind of parent. She led by example. We
were told if we saw her do or say, then
we could, too. My mom worked two
jobs to make sure that not only did we
have everything that we needed, but also
to ensure each of us went to college and
received a bachelor’s degree.
It wasn’t all work. I remember her
taking us to the library on a weekly
basis. Of course that has always been my
favorite place, even today. Those visits
fostered my love for the written word.
One of my favorite stories she would
tell when I was growing up; the one
where she was in labor with me. She
was mad at my father, because he wasn’t
there when labor began. And that’s what
she reiterates. He wasn’t there, and she
was mad. She also talked about how
her and my grandfather were nervous,
because there were slight complications,
and a great aunt had died while in labor
years before. Thankfully, everything
turned out just fine (well, probably not
for my father because remember she was
mad—but she didn’t tell us that part of
the story).
And don’t let her and her mother
get together. You want to talk about a
hilarious, hot, funny mess? Never rule
out some of the shenanigans that our
elders can get into. Nobody knows how
to cuss someone out without using curse
words like my momma
(Telemarketers beware).
I am so grateful and blessed to still
have her in my life. She will always be
my mom, and I will always be her baby
girl.
written by
Shannan Harper