My Mother's Touch

In between application questions for Girls on the Run, I have been reading and catching up with the founder, Molly Barker's blog.  In September, she wrote about her mother's touch, and this inspired me to write about mine. 

My mom is the reason I am where I am today.  She has taught me to follow my dreams and to never give up; as cliche as it sounds, it is oh so true.  She is the reason I am so stubborn, the reason I always take control, and it is from her where I get my heart felt passion.  As my husband would say, "I am my mother's daughter."  

My mom overcame obstacles I can't even imagine.  A single mother at the age of 21, and losing her own mother at the age of 22.  It's no wonder she is as strong as she is.  I am not talking about the strength in her arms, as we all know she 

is physically strong, but the mental and emotional strength she possesses.  

I often times forget that my mom was only 22, and had a two year old daughter when she lost her own mother.  I am 25, I don't have any children and I couldn't even fathom what it would be like to lose my mom.  It has been 23 years since my mom has physically felt her mother's touch, however, I hope she often feels her presence.

Although my mom is 2 hours away there isn't a day that goes by that I don't feel her presence. As I am teaching in my classroom or coaching my girls after school I often times evaluate my actions and my personality and I feel my mom.  I turn more and more into my mom each and every day.  If you would have told me three years ago that I am just like my mother, I wouldn't have liked it, but now I am so proud to be like her. 

It's something about my mom's morning phone calls as I am driving into work that always seem to get my day off to the right start.  Or her emails during the day that often times just say "I love you" that makes me appreciate her unconditional love.  As I received an email from my mother last week that cheered me up, I thought to myself, "my mom hasn't heard those words from her mom in years."  I couldn't imagine...

My mom can take responsibility for many of my attributes and interests, but she really deserves all the credit for my love and passion for running and exercise.  Ever since I can remember we have exercised together.  I remember going to her aerobic classes with her when I was just four years old. They were in the basement of a church.  I always insisted to wear my bathing suit with leggings underneath to look like a true aerobics outfit.  I took a towel as my mat, and small shampoo bottles as my weight.  Even 20 years ago, exercising was our "mother-daughter" thing to do.  Some mom's enjoy taking their daughter's shopping, but mine would rather run or go to the gym.  

There was a point in my life where I would have rather gone shopping with my mom.  There was a point in my life where I hated going to the gym with her.  There is still some days that she drives me crazy as she pushes me to work harder on my runs.  However, as I read Molly's post, I began to realize that it is these times with my mother I feel her touch the most.  I am so blessed to have a mother that is healthy enough to go on a 5 mile run with me when she comes and visits.  I will surely appreciate it even more when she is able to go on runs with her grandchildren.  

I will always remember crossing the finish line of the 2009 Indy Mini holding your hand; it may have not been my fastest time, but it was surely the most heart felt race I have ever run!  As Molly said in her post, she misses her morning runs with her mom, I promise to you, Mom, that I will appreciate ours even more.