love letters to moms

As a special tribute to wonderful women in our lives we asked a few to convey their sentiments to their mothers. As we like to say, Happy Mother’s Month!

Liv Sain to her mom, Pamela Sain

Dear Mom,

Where do I even begin? How can I possibly capture how much you mean to me in this letter?

Well, here I go…

You are a mother like no other. Although I was fortunate enough to have a father until I was 23 years old, the person I become moving forward will be because of you. As Abraham Lincoln once said, “All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my mother.”

I have been struggling since I was a child. Life hasn’t been easy. It seems every time I get back up, something else knocks me down. But I know for a fact I wouldn’t have been able to overcome any of it if it weren’t for you. You are the epitome of courage. You have shown me what it means to never give up. You have been my biggest cheerleader. When I’m pessimistic, you’re optimistic. When I’m down, you lift me up. When I’m in doubt, you show me conviction. When I lose the will to keep going, you remind me that I’m a fighter, and most importantly, when I think about the day I’ll lose you, I’ll know that I was loved, worthy and mattered.

These are the lessons I will always carry with me. I will always remember when you’re gone; it’s only until we meet again.

Mothers are always seen as the strong ones, the ones who protect their daughters from all the dangers, heartbreaks and questionable decisions. “Don’t date that guy, he’s up to no good.” “Don’t leave the house without lipstick on, you never know who you will see.” “Are you really going to wear that?” “Always have matching undies on, what if you get into an accident?!” Not every daughter can truthfully say her mom is her best friend — I am one of the lucky ones. You have always been my partner-in-crime, my confidant, my secret keeper and my rock.

But being a mother, as I’m learning, isn’t as simple as passing down wisdom through words; it’s in what you do. Having a mother who lives her life every day full of warmth and kindness toward everyone she encounters not only inspires me, but it makes me proud. Your endless generosity to your family, your community and to those less fortunate shows not only me, but also your grandsons what real love is and how to share it.

Words cannot convey how grateful and proud I am to be called your daughter. Thank you for loving me when I wasn’t so lovable. Thank you for always lifting me up when I’m at my lowest. Thank you for being my No. 1 fan. Thank you for raising me to have a heart full of gratitude and kindness. Thank you for teaching me to reach for the stars and to never settle. Thank you for knowing my worth and reminding me of it often. Thank you for believing in me when I don’t always believe myself. Most importantly, thank you for the unconditional love that you show every day.

I hope this Mother’s Day, and every day, you know how truly loved you are, and how blessed I feel to be your daughter. I love you “down to the sky and up to the bottom.”

Danielle Holm Payne to her mom, Diane Holm

Christina Pinto to her mom, Xiomara Cuellar

I wish I had another day to spend with you and ask you all those things I never asked. I am very grateful for all the wonderful stories you shared with me about your upbringing, when you met Dad, our home in Cuba, and our journey to the United States. As I go through your belongings, I realize that there is still so much more I don’t know.

I do realize now more than ever besides being beautiful, smart, elegant and spunky, what a brave and strong woman you were. You and Dad sacrificed and left everything behind in Cuba to give us a better life. You taught me to be strong like you and as we walked the caregiving journey together, you always said, “I know you can do anything; you make the impossible possible.”

I still find myself picking up the phone to call you to share a funny story, some important news, or just to see how you are and hear your voice. I miss sharing Facebook with you, showing you pictures of Ben and I with our friends and what we did over the weekend. I know how much you loved seeing us together and happy.

As a child you always made me feel loved and protected and that never changed. Today, I’m grateful that I finally learned to slow down and be present during our visits, sharing stories and painting your nails, but I thought we had more time. One of my favorite memories is hugging and kissing you goodbye, as I walked away you would say, “Uno Mas.” (One More).

I am so thankful that I took videos of you during our visits. I wish I had more, but cherish the two I have; they are priceless. My favorite is of you reading a “Reyes Magos” letter you wrote for me in Cuba when I was 4 years old. I was amazed you had kept it all these years, folded neatly in a small envelope. After reading the letter, you shared the story of the piano. You had to sleep on the sidewalk, outside the store all night to be the first in the store before they ran out of toys. I thanked you and told you how much I loved and appreciated you. You said, “Of course, I’m your mom and I would do anything for you. I love you and I wanted to get you and your brother the toys you wanted.”

I miss you very much and lucky we spent so much time together, but I’m sorry I didn’t slow down sooner like you always told me. Thank you for being an amazing mom, always putting others’ needs before your own. I am one lucky girl to have been your daughter and I know you will always be by my side guiding me through life. You are at peace now, enjoying heaven with Dad, Abuela and all your friends.

Lisa Blackwelder, Paige Blackwelder, Layne Hooper and Kristen Jerrnigan to their mom, Tuni Blackwelder

To the most patient, kind and giving mom ever,

Thank you for the love and supportyou give to each of us in every moment of our lives. You are always there when we need you, and even more importantly — when we didn’t realize we needed you.

You have taught us by showing us what being a good person means. It means doing the right thing, ALWAYS. It means working hard and playing hard. It means giving back to your community and those in need.

We describe you as a saint, a superhuman… one of a kind! We admire your perseverance, your drive and tenacity. Your kindness to everyone shows us what it is to be kind. Your drive for perfection inspires us daily.

Mom, thank you for helping us find our way in this crowded world. Thanks to you and Dad, we always had more than plenty. Plenty of safety, security, food, shelter, love and clothes! All those things that growing kids need and more. Most importantly, we always felt like we had plenty of space to grow and space to rest and space to wander.

We appreciate how you always worked so hard to show your love for us in the most selfless ways. Now that we have several years of experience in the kitchen, we understand what went into those big breakfasts you would make. The Sunday meals you started before going to mass, the huge Italian dinners you made for the family and all of our friends, the pizza parties, and all the great places we vacationed. Although our family vacation to Italy has been delayed…. we’ll do it next year. Salud!

Mom, you will always be the star of our show, the light in our life, the backbone of our very being. We love you more than all the — Vespas in Italy, lights in New York City, stars in the sky, and grains of sand on the beach.

Cent’anni!

Kimberly Devitt to her mom, Jennifer Anderson

Dear Mommy,

My first word was “ights.” Well, it was “lights” really, but I couldn’t pronounce it yet. You may have been disappointed that my first word wasn’t “mama” or “dada,” but it all makes sense now. Since day one, you have lovingly pointed me to the light. You have served as a bright light for both your family and commu- nity, shedding light on important issues and values. You have inspired Ashley and me to shine brighter than the darkness of the world. Indeed, it has been this beacon of light that has illuminated our path.

Whether it’s your ability to spot the light at the end of the tunnel, or the glimmer of hope you provide to a world of brokenness, your light shines brighter than any I have ever seen. Light is a metaphor often used for seeing the invisible in the visible. Your warmth, however, cannot be seen by the naked eye. Sure, your outward beauty and magnetic personality captivates friends and strangers alike. However, it is the warmth that burns gently and brilliantly from within you that is felt by all who are lucky enough to know you.

In John 8:12, Jesus says, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Thank you for being my light.

Love, Kimberly

Dear Mom,

It’s because of our special bond that I’m emotional and excited to have a daughter of my own. As I impatiently await her arrival (due May 21), I can’t help but reflect on our relationship and how I hope to grow that same connection with my daughter that we have.

Growing up — I know you harbored some guilt over this — I never felt you were less present in our lives even though you worked full time. It was the only normal I knew. You were a boss lady and did it so well, I never realized the struggles you sometimes faced as a female leader in the workplace. I “grew up” in the business and although I did not recognize it at the time, observing you inspired my own career path.

We were fortunate enough to spend lots of quality time together through my competitive gymnastics career, which involved many weekends in hotel rooms for meets, and much time in the car, traveling to and from practice. I also cherished our bargain shopping trips, bring-yourdaughter-to-work days and beach excursions. During those times, we could always talk.

In college, you were my daily dose of perspective when I would be stressed about a class assignment or internship — you still do that for me to this day, which I appreciate more than you know. Although I hate to admit it sometimes, I “see” how well liked and respected you are by your peers and the Central Florida community and I can’t help but feel proud. And it’s certainly something I aspire to.

When I joined you in this publishing business more than 10 years ago, I never imagined we would be the powerhouse team we are today. Through much struggle, I think we both have gained an immense amount of respect for each other and deeper appreciation for our personal-professional relationship.

In many ways we are the same, although we work very differently, and have both grown to bring out the best in each other — most of the time. I know you are always my biggest fan, and I yours. We would not be where we are today if that was not the case. I know I’m not always the best at expressing it, but hopefully this letter serves as a testament to that fact.

Thank you for always supporting me, believing in me, and loving me the way that you do.

Kate Slentz to her mom, Christi Ashby

love letters to moms

Kate Slentz to her mom, Christi Ashby