Charlie Brown

“Just as I will never know how many troubles she has, she will never truly understand how much I care about her and how much I appreciate her sacrifices.”

It never matters whether she just had to deal with someone screaming at her. It never matters whether she just had to explain to the family how she did everything she could as her coworker wheels the patient to the morgue. All that matters is that every day, without fail, my mom comes home from work, and is nothing but caring and is always happy to listen to anything and everything I have to say about the ins and outs of my day.

Even on her days off, she’s constantly doing something for the family. She’s always cleaning the house or getting groceries to make a comforting meal that will inevitably make any problems I had with the day melt away by the first flavorful bite.

Every time I come home from school on the days she’s working, I cannot help but feel excited to see her later that evening. It’s entertaining hearing her crazy stories about how interesting life in an emergency room is, and they never fail to make any dull day of mine more eventful. I love to hear her qualms, her jokes and everything in between.

On her days off, I never fail to be comforted as she tells me about how, while out running errands, she found something she thought I would like or how she found one of my favorite snacks and was excited to show me. I’m never surprised either, when I come home to a house that is warm and clean, with a nice lemon or ocean breeze scented candle bringing a comforting scent to the already comforting house as I remember how those are my mom’s favorite smells. No matter what kind of day she had, no matter whether it was an amazing, relaxing day or a stress filled one as she worried about bills or other things she simply puts under the umbrella of “adulting,” she always welcomes me with open arms. She never fails to humor me and what I have to say, even if we both know a math test isn’t nearly as stressful as having to save someone who is bleeding out from a gunshot wound. 

I know her days are hard. I know I will never truly understand the extent of how much she goes through just to make sure my siblings and I have everything we both want and need. But, one thing I do know is I will forever cherish her selflessness and unconditional devotion to making sure her loved ones are taken care of. Just as I will never know how many troubles she has, she will never truly understand how much I care about her and how much I appreciate her sacrifices.