Dear Mom,
For your birthday, I wish I could box up and give to you:
The giddiness that the girls are overcome with knowing they’ll be spending time with you. The joy that the words, “it’s a Mimi day,” brings to their faces.
The peace and relief I feel dropping them off each day, to you- my mom. That you’re the one they spend their days with. That you’re there to love them.
The happiness of seven grandchildren, now eight, jumping the waves and building sandcastles at the beach house. The togetherness of knowing we’ll all be sleeping under the same roof, even for a few days.
The light in your eyes when you let loose and get silly. Singing into wooden spoons in the kitchen or standing on chairs and dancing.
The anticipation your NC grandkids have knowing a visit with you is on the horizon.
The excitement you exude on Christmas, presenting your months of shopping and thoughtfulness to those you love.
The comfort you bring while soothing tears over boo boos and hurt feelings. The release, knowing you’re there to receive the venting of frustrations and hard times.
The love you have given us all, in good times and bad. The selflessness and sacrifice. The modeling of what it means to be a giving person.
For your birthday, I wish I could wrap up all of these things, to fill you up the way you fill up those around you. I hope this sheds a light on a portion of what you give to us each day. You are loved and I wish you happiness today and always.
Love,
Jess
Where There Is Joy 
What a beautiful gift! You can’t actually wrap all that up physically but you wrapped it all up in a beautifully structured slice! Happy Happy Birthday to your Mom! Thanks for sharing!
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Lovely tribute to your mom. I hope you share this post w/ her. It is a box of words and the best gift—gratitude.
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Writing’s a great gift! You always do such an amazing job of tucking big things into details, of sliding in information through just a word or two. Love the glimpse into all of you and the moments you share!
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Writing as a gift is one of my favorite ideas. I think there is almost nothing better than telling people what they mean to you and what they are good at. Not enough of us know that about ourselves.
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You told us “package up the strength and hand it back to them. People don’t get enough of that.” I believe that and that has stuck with me. Perhaps that’s where this came from.
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I agree. My post this morning is an effort at just that. I want to tell my daughter how much she means to me. She knows it, but writing about it seems to make it all the more powerful. I actually have a post coming up soon that is really a note to you as our staff developer….stay tuned!
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This is just beautiful, so heart felt and completed with love. All of the wishes are gifts for sure. Your poem “models what it means to be a giving person”
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What a gift. I can just picture your mom as she reads this. I imagine she will swell with pride and love. Maybe shed a tear (I’d be bawling…but that’s just me.). What more could a mother/grandmother ask for than to have a daughter who writes like this about her?
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Happy Birthday, Ida! I love this tribute to your mom. You capture her and the love so well.
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What a gift to all of you
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Simply beautiful and a lovely tribute to your mom. Thanks for sharing your writing.
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A letter is the best way to share our love and thoughts. If I received this letter my heart would be so very full! Best gift ever category!
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beautiful – and “package up the strength and hand it back to them. People don’t get enough of that” is a great idea. This piece does that incredibly through all your careful, thoughtful observations.
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What an amazing gift to give your mom. You and your girls are so lucky to have each other.
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How lovely what a perfect grandmother and obviously mother too!
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