Gratful #37 - my mom's handwriting

Whenever I see my mom’s handwriting, I smile.  Like a natural reflex, the underlined, words, dashes and exclamation marks truly incite the excitement.   Whether on an envelope, package, or note, my mom’s handwriting signals to me that she took the time to find a way to show me how much loves me. 

We see and hear things that remind us of the people we love fairly often.  It may be fleeting, but we all do it.   Sometimes, we even make a mental note to tell our loved ones that we thought of them.  Occasionally, we buy the card, the cute knick-knack, or the book that we know they would absolutely love.  And although we have the best intentions, it’s not as often that we actually follow through. 

My mom follows through. 

Seeing her handwriting means that she followed through.  A little gift just because.  A note to say hello.   A spontaneous care package.  Words of encouragement when I'm having a hard time.  Words of praise when I'm doing great things. 

For 17 years, since the day I moved away and went to college, I have not lived in the same state as my parents.  But for those 17 years, my mom’s handwriting has landed on my doorstep or in my mailbox many, many more times than the standard birthday card.  Especially in a time when sending an email is so much easier than writing a letter, going to the post office, or mailing a package, seeing my mom’s handwriting is one more things she has taught me about how to love someone.  By following through.  By doing the little things. 

As we are grow up, we notice ourselves doing things our mother’s do – and it’s some kind of coming-of-age joke to gasp in horror and swear that we said we would never be like our mothers!   But when I find myself following through by sending a card, writing a little note, or finding a creative way to show someone how much I care about them, I realize that there’s no one else in the world I would rather be like than my mom.