My mom is an interesting lady. She hates Christmas but still asks for an Elvis calender every year. She reads 3 books every week and has done so since I can remember. She can’t cook and loves TV dinners. She watches more Fox News than Mitt Romney and stands for conservative Christian politics but wouldn’t claim to be a Christian herself. I’ve known her my whole life and still cannot figure her out.
She has a strange work schedule so we don’t really get to talk very often. When I do call her I talk for about 15 minutes and then ask her some questions, she usually responds with, “nothing new here.” I’ve learned not to call her unless I really have something to say, otherwise she’ll just hang up.
Recently I left my second-job and have been under pressure to find another job, while working out the details for grad school. It’s been super stressful…to say the least. I have a lot of fear in making big descision about life.
I called my mom to ask her some questions and we played phone tag for 4 days. She finally got me at a good time and we talked it all through. She gave me some good advice, while also sitting with me in my “unknowns.” It’s comforting when someone sits with you in the “unknowns” of life – especially when it’s your mom.
Just before we hung up she said something very special to me.
She said, “I love you so very much.” Then paused and said, “And honey, I believe in you.”
We usually end our conversations with “I love you” but in my time of need and in her sincerity, I could tell there was something more to it this time. It was a deeply comforting I love you, it wasn’t an average hang-up-the-phone-goodbye.
It was a very spiritual moment for me.
It was one of the moments when you pause…and images of good-times, love and laughter rush through your head.
Tears filled my eyes as I began to imagine that not only was my mom saying those words but God was…to us all, “I love you so very much. And honey, I believe in you.”