Monday, December 22, 2014

A Christmas Letter to My Mother


Two Christmas’s ago, we almost lost my mother to liver failure.  She endured many battles with her demons for quite some time and sadly, those demons won the final war.  If you saw my mom around this time two years ago, you wouldn’t have even recognized her.  She resembled more of a zombie, often incoherent, mumbling, shaking and at times, bedridden.

On Christmas Day, when I returned home from spending time with her at her house, I knew in my heart she was going to die within the next month.  She had been on the waiting list for a liver transplant for a year and this is the same amount of time the doctor gave her to live unless she received this incredible organ from an organ donor.

On December 26th, 2012, the very next day after that dismally bleak Christmas, God bestowed His Christmas miracle onto my mother.  She received a phone call from Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Camden, New Jersey and was given the life-saving transplant she needed in order to continue her legacy here, with us.

Today, I am going to share a letter to my mother as part of my “no materialistic gifts for Christmas” by affording others with honor.  In doing so, we lift people up with our words instead of our wallet.  As writers, words are our strength so we should use them in accordance with the passion of our creativity and hearts.
 

I hope this can inspire you to write a letter to a loved one or friend expressing how much their presence means to you.  Fellow blogger, Joy Ezeka, also contributed to my inspiration with her "A Letter to My Son."

Dear mother,

With the rolling of tides and their eroding memories, yours radiates from my meandering mind.  I tend to stumble around my head from time to time and even though these images are often different, one thing remains the same; you have always lifted me up to the highest of heights toward the brightest of stars.

In doing so, you have managed to make me feel like those stars I have reached for in the sky.  You pushed me to be the best I could be while conquering all of my ventures with love, grace and compassion.  You taught me to admire and show love toward others, no matter the race, color, or creed.  You encouraged me to befriend the underdogs and protect my family and friends.  You have always had my back and never let anyone or anything hurt me by taking away the light you helped generate from within.

I’ve had many ups and downs with father figures, especially when Daddy C passed away.  But one thing has been a constant; you never allowed those ups and downs bring ME DOWN.  Instead, you became both my patron and best friend; the one person I could always count on to be at my graduations, birthdays, and other milestones.  It didn’t matter if neither of my fathers were in the crowd.  As long as I saw your brilliantly beautiful and charismatic face cheering me on, my contentment was more than fulfilled.

Mom, you are one of the kindest and most giving people I have been blessed to have in my life.  And to have you as my mother has been the greatest gift God has given me.  We might not have had a lot of money growing up but you managed to make my life as comfortable and warm as can be.  You worked several jobs to keep our family afloat and I wouldn’t be where I am today without all of your self-sacrifices and dedication.

You have an amazing soul and it emanates through all of the wonderful things you do for our family.  I believe God saved you because he had a different path planned for you other than the one you were previously struggling to find.  You may have made mistakes in the past but you refuse to let them define you and the beautiful person you are today.

I love you mom.  Merry Christmas.

Love,

Gina
 
 
 

 

I hope you all have an amazing holiday filled with joy, laughter, gratitude and love.  Merry Christmas!

 
 
 

41 comments:

  1. Such a beautiful letter! Love this idea--"we lift people up with our words instead of our wallet." Especially for writers! Fun pictures and that last one of the two of you is simply gorgeous.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Awe, thank you so much, Charli! I really appreciate you coming by and sharing your thoughts.
    As writers, we are blessed to be able to do incredible things with our words. Not only can we write epic or endearing stories, but we can also make others feel good about themselves. I love it!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I LOVED this. You're a beautiful writer. And I'm so happy your mom was able to get the transplant. It's so frightening watching a parent go through something like this. My dad had cancer when I was 9, and then two years ago was diagnosed with a rare and deadly blood disease...we're very blessed that he survived and is better than ever now. This letter idea is so wonderful!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Awe, I'm touched by how much you enjoyed my writing, Beth. Thank you so much!!
    I'm overjoyed your father has recovered and is doing better than ever. I hope you both have many more holidays to spend together:)

    ReplyDelete
  5. That was beautiful, Gina. You do your mother proud. :) Merry Christmas to you.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thank you very much, Kelly:) Merry Christmas!

    ReplyDelete
  7. What a touching, beautifully written gesture! One of the best gift ideas I've ever heard of :-) Merry Christmas!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much Diedre! And sending you a warm welcome to my blog=)

      Delete
  8. Such a heartfelt letter, Gina. And I loved seeing the pictures of your mom as you grew up. A beautiful post.

    May your holiday season be just as beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Lee. I'm glad you enjoyed my writing as well as the photos. I wanted my readers to have an idea of the woman behind the letter.
      Have a beautiful holiday season!

      Delete
  9. My Dearest Gina, This is without a single doubt, the very best Christmas gift that I have ever received. I want you to know that as the song goes, "You were the wind beneath my wing." When my sail wanted to cease, you made sure it kept going. You never judged me. You made me feel WORTH the fight. You are the star of this story. I love you, mommy

    ReplyDelete
  10. I'm so happy to be spending another Christmas with you, mommy. I could never judge someone who has never judged me and this was the type of nourishment you taught me to give. You are a blessing to me and your presence is a gift to the world. I love you.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I'm all misty eyed. Thank you for sharing. Happy holidays to you and yours. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Awe, thank you Christine. Have a wonderful holiday with your loved ones=)

      Delete
  12. Any mom would love to get that letter, sweetie. Blessings.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you my sweet friend! And as always, thanks for reading. I appreciate your presence on my blog=)

      Delete
  13. Beautiful letter to your mom, Gina! I'm so glad she's still with us! Merry Christmas to both of you! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you my sweet friend!! Merry Christmas to you, your family and those pretty kitties:)

      Delete
  14. Your beautiful letter made me all teary! I hope you and your mother have a wonderful holiday!!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Awe, how touching!:) Sorry to make you teary eyed but I'm glad it provoked a heartfelt moment.
    Merry Christmas Meradeth!!!

    ReplyDelete
  16. How sweet! I'm so glad your mom was able to get her Christmas miracle so you could enjoy many more Christmases with her!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We are blessed and our hearts are filled with gratitude because of my mother's presence. I wouldn't know what to do without her, especially around Christmas. Her existence has shaped this holiday for me in more ways than I could ever ask for.

      Delete
  17. Such a beautiful letter to your mom, Gina. I know how much she means to you and I am so glad that she overcame all that she did to be here with you! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your mom. God bless!

    ReplyDelete
  18. This made me teary-eyed. Such a wonderful post and I'm glad I stopped by. Thank you for sharing your pictures with us.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wow, that really means a lot to me, Medeia. I'm happy you stopped by and thank you for reading.

      Delete
  19. How beautiful, Gina! It really was a miracle that she got the liver transplant right when she needed it. Your idea of a letter instead of a bought gift is amazing. The pictures are sweet, too! Merry Christmas, Gina!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Awe, thank you so much Lisa! Words really do mean a lot to others, especially when we lift them up=)

      Delete
  20. What a beautiful and touching letter. If ever there was a Christmas miracle, it's the one that provided a transplant for your mother. Wishing you, your mother, and all your friends and family a wonderful 2015!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much, Lexa! I hope you are having a splendid holiday season!

      Delete
  21. I hope you're enjoying your holidays, Gina dear.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Yes, Sandra! Indeed I am. It's my favorite time of the year and I am looking forward to continuing the celebrations later on this week. I hope you are having a fantastic holiday, my sweet friend=)

    ReplyDelete
  23. What a beautiful post and letter. I am crying, even though I do not know your mom. Your words are so powerful and well said. I am so happy that your mom got the transplant she needed. What a miracle! This is a wonderful reminder for us to tell our loved ones how we feel. Thanks for sharing it with us. :)
    ~Jess

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wow, thank you so much for sharing your thoughts, Jess. Sorry to make you cry, though. But it really means a lot to me that I was able to strike an emotional chord.
      Have a beautiful New Year.

      Delete
  24. Replies
    1. Thanks, Sandra! You too, my sweet friend=) I'm back on the 5th

      Delete
  25. Such a touching letter. Wishing you a very happy New Year!

    ReplyDelete
  26. Thank you very much! Happy New Year=)

    ReplyDelete
  27. Wonderful letter and a good idea--I've written a few tributes to my mom since she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's, but unfortunately they would mean little to her today. However, I cherish even more the letter she wrote me the night I graduated from high school.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Awww Gina! This is beautiful! I am just seeing this. You really really write beautifully! Not too late also to say Happy New Year Gina! God bless your Mama for all her sacrifices and unconditional love.

    ReplyDelete