So, it was Mom’s birthday coming up again. Always makes you think, right? How to really show her she means the world to you. It’s easy to just buy something quick, but I wanted to do something a bit more… well, me.
Figuring It Out
First, I just sat down and thought about her. What really makes her happy? It’s usually the simple things. She’s never been big on fancy stuff. I remembered last year I got her some expensive gadget, and I don’t think she’s used it much. So, that approach was out.
I thought about maybe cooking a big meal. But honestly, my cooking skills are just okay, and she ends up helping or worrying about the mess. Didn’t seem relaxing for her.
What does she always say she likes?
- Hearing from us kids.
- Knowing we’re okay.
- Simple time together, no fuss.
The Action Plan
Okay, so forget complicated plans. I decided to go old school. I grabbed some plain paper, not even fancy cardstock, just regular paper. And a pen that writes nice, you know?
I started writing. Just… writing. Didn’t plan it out paragraph by paragraph. I just put down what I was thinking. Stuff like:
How I was grateful for all the times she listened, even when I was rambling about nonsense. How I remembered her staying up late helping with homework, even when she was tired from work. Little things, specific memories that popped into my head. I told her how much I admired her strength, how she always just keeps going, you know? And yeah, I made sure to write down “I love you” plenty of times. Wasn’t trying to be a poet, just honest.
It wasn’t a long letter. Maybe one page, front and back. I folded it up and put it in a plain envelope.
The Result (Kind Of)
On her birthday, I called her first thing in the morning. We talked for a while, just normal stuff. Then I went over later. Gave her the letter. She opened it right there. Didn’t say much while reading, just got a little teary-eyed, smiled. Gave me a big hug afterwards.
She said it was the best gift. Simple as that. Sometimes, just saying it, writing it down plain and simple, works better than anything else you could buy or plan. Felt good. Felt right. Happy birthday, Mom.
