For those who are lucky to still be blessed with
your Mom this is beautiful. For those who aren't,
this is even more beautiful.

The young mother set her foot on the path of life.
"Is this the long way?" she asked.

And the guide said "Yes, and the way is hard. And
you will be old before you reach the end of it. But
the end will be better than the beginning."

But the young mother was happy, and she would not
believe that anything could be better than these
years.

So she played with her children, she fed them and
bathed them, and taught them how to tie their shoes
and ride a bike and reminded them to feed the dog,
and do their homework and brush their teeth. The sun
shone on them, and the young mother cried "Nothing
will ever be lovelier than this."

Then the nights came, and the storms, and the path
was sometimes dark, and the children shook with fear
and cold, and the mother drew them close and covered
them with her arms, and the children said, "Mother,
we are not afraid, for you are near, and no harm can
come."

And the morning came, and there was a hill ahead, and
the children climbed and grew weary, and the mother
was weary. But at all times she said to the children,
"A little patience and we are there."

So the children climbed, and as they climbed they
learned to weather the storms. And with this, she gave
them strength to face the world. Year after year, she
showed them compassion, understanding, hope, but most
of all....unconditional love.

And when they reached the top they said, "Mother, we
would not have done it without you."

The days went on, and the weeks and the months and the
years, and the mother grew old and she became little
and bent. But her children were tall and strong, and
walked with courage. And the mother, when she lay
down at night, looked up at the stars and said, "This
is a better day than the last, for my children have
learned so much and are now passing these traits on
to their children."

And when the way became rough for her, they lifted her,
and gave her their strength, just as she had given them
hers.

One day they came to a hill, and beyond the hill, they
could see a shining road and golden gates flung wide.

And mother said: "I have reached the end of my journey.
And now I know the end is better than the beginning,
for my children can walk with dignity and pride, with
their heads held high, and so can their children after
them."

And the children said, " You will always walk with us,
Mother, even when you have gone through the gates."
And they stood and watched her as she went on alone,
and the gates closed after her. And they said: "We
cannot see her, but she is with us still. A Mother
like ours is more than a memory. She is a living
presence."

Your Mother is always with you. She's the whisper of
the leaves as you walk down the street, she's the smell
of certain foods you remember, flowers you pick and
perfume that she wore, she's the cool hand on your brow
when you're not feeling well, she's your breath in the
air on a cold winter's day. She is the sound of the
rain that lulls you to sleep, the colors of a rainbow,
she is Christmas morning.

Your Mother lives inside your laughter. And she's
crystallized in every tear drop. A mother shows every
emotion...happiness, sadness, fear, jealousy, love,
hate, anger, helplessness, excitement, joy, sorrow.....

And all the while, hoping and praying you will only
know the good feelings in life. She's the place you
came from, your first home, and she's the map you
follow with every step you take.

She's your first love, your first friend, even your
first enemy, but nothing on earth can separate you.
Not time, not space...............not even death!