A Belated Mother's Day and Early Father's Day Greeting

 I am a little late, once again this spring. Mother's Day is still a quiet day for me since my mom's passing, though even in the quiet there is joy to be found. I find music to be very consoling and deeply enriching right now. I found one particular song a couple of weeks ago that I have listened to on repeat. It's called "Unsung Hero" by for King + Country. It's not just about mothers though. It's about parents in general, so as I write today, it's a little of Mother's day and Father's day combined, plus a larger celebration of the goodness that I find in others in general. 

There are some people that are not parents in the traditional sense, but have given so sacrificially to others in various ways throughout their lives. What inspires me today is just love in community in general. We all need each other. 

This song reminds me of my mom, who was in many ways like her own mom that came before her. She wasn't caught up in a lot of "shoulds." She kind of carved her own path in life. Her mom before her was much the same way. My grandmother lived through World War II. She was a journalist and had a strong personality. While my mom had a softer personality, she was highly creative and thought outside the box in order to meet the needs around her. She didn't let the conventional way of doing things constrain her in how she expressed her love. 

My Dad is a very hard worker and he made sure we had a safe home and gave us many opportunities for a good life. I have watched him grow deep roots in his faith and add to that much virtue over the years. He helps me to pick back up when the world knocks me down, and to find the good in myself again, to keep trying, to know that what I do matters in life even if no one else sees it. But, like any good dad, he also teaches me to know when to draw a line in the sand and has shown me how to hold that line when necessary. He is forever learning new skills as he endeavors to "fix everything from a broken heart to a hole in the sky."

My husband works hard every single day to be a good dad and husband. He is home beside me each evening, helping with the kids and the household chores. He supports me in pursuing my own dreams, too. He loves to surprise the kids, too, on special days like Valentine's Day, with flowers or some special treat. He is fearless in protecting his household. He teaches our daughters to value themselves and trust their judgment, and he teaches our son how to protect and lead. He is also the St. Francis of our household, the cat whisperer of our family, as animals just naturally flock to him wherever he goes. Even the big cats (think tigers here) at the animal sanctuaries talk to him like one of their pack. 

My husband's parents have become like my own family. They are the patient souls who introduced me to the beauty and inexhaustibly rich treasures of the Catholic faith. They patiently answered my myriad of questions and hard challenges over the long years until I could grasp and fully integrate our faith differences, as God led me home. They will no doubt have an big reward in heaven for their efforts in this regard.

My stepdad and stepmom have each treated us like one of their own kids. We don't ever feel like there are distinctions between us and their own families of origin. 

My stepdad served in the military and has a strong sense of character. He also has a way with animals. While we were visiting during the last week with my mom, the wild squirrels were jumping on the front screen door to ask for their daily treat from him. They literally eat out of his hand at this point. He has not stopped traveling all the way out to see us since Mom passed. He keeps us very entertained with his high energy and adventurous attitude. 

My stepmom is an absolute joy to be around. She has a knack for gardening and decorating. She has a large back porch surrounded with plant boxes that my dad constructed for her, filled with all kinds of gardening delights. She creates a cozy home in every sense of the word and she's always waiting with a big hug, a ready smile and something delicious to eat when we visit. She is very adventurous and loves to travel and explore new things. 

Next is our family's Dessert Angel. Someone who knows just by instinct the exact moment I am stuck in my cave, and shows up unbidden, treat in hand, to draw me back out toward the light once again. There are two things that can make literally anything better - chocolate and unconditional love.

And there is my confessor, a very humble soul, strong in character, who we sometimes find greeting his flock at the entrance door of his parish, in full vestments, always looking for the lost sheep. He does not draw special distinctions between his role and others, he just rolls up his sleeves to sweep the church, help in the kitchen, etc. He shows us the love of the Father on a daily basis just by being himself.

I feel unusually blessed to have had not just one or two, but several very deep friendships over the years, some with extended family, several outside my family. All of them have shaped me in various ways and helped me to grow deep roots in my own faith over time. We may not all come from the same earthly blood lines, but we can be united by the blood of Christ, in a family that lasts eternally. They are the ones messaging in the middle of the night, always being a perpetually safe place to process whatever comes my way, keeping me sharp in my faith, and challenging me when needed, and seeing right through me even when I try to put on a brave face. I couldn't do life without them. 

Their are also many unknow souls, too, that pass through our days, leaving their mark though we may know nothing about them beyond the simple interaction we share. I ran into one such sacrificial soul today while standing alone in an enormously long graduation line. He was wearing a black shirt, and yet stood in the hot sun to hold our place in line so that a few of us women could stay in the shade until time to go inside. He even offered me a water along with those for his own family. He was an enormous blessing today. 

I wish all of you a blessed Mother's and Father's Day - a little late on one, a little early on the other! You are all my own "Unsung Heroes."

Peace be with you.