Independence Day

I was on the treadmill this morning flipping through the TV channels of CNN, ABC & CBS. My feet were dragging and I was not interested in pushing myself. I clicked to the TODAY show on CBS and saw Martina McBride performing her song "Independence Day." Can you believe I got choked up? I started thinking of my wonderful, strong, independent mom and I got emotional.


I don't know if it is because I've been thinking about my mom a lot, or because I'm a mom now, or what, but my mind kept picturing my mom and all that she does: she's a hospice nurse and takes care of geriatric patients. Mom has taken care of people all her life - from 7 pregnancies, raising 6 kids & babysitting 8+ kids at the same time, going to school while working as a low-paid CNA at a resthome, getting her RN license at 40, continuing to work at the same resthome as an RN now, getting promoted to the Director of Nursing (DON), changing jobs to go to another resthome facility to work as their DON, then changing jobs again to be a hospice nurse. My mom has the biggest heart and the most patience and THE MOST LOVE for people - no matter how badly they've hurt her or wronged her - she is so giving. The one characteristic that best describes my mom is Christlike.


So I'm running on the treadmill and thinking of my mom, crying, and my feet start moving faster and I'm hearing the words of Martina McBride singing "Independence Day" and I'm so grateful to have a mom like mine. My mom is strong. My mom is compassionate. My mom is giving. My mom is my friend.