Mothers and Daughters

Mother and daughters journey together with variety. Sometimes a mother brings us into the world. Sometimes a mother's heart swells with pride. Sometimes a mother's heart deflates in disappointment. Always a mother loves her daughter.

Passion. With passion women embrace life and through that emotion a mother and daughter forge their relationship. Beginning with a bond of iron, heat is added, slowly. Then the forging begins, meticulously shaping the iron with a hammer. This process includes "quenching" (generally plunged into cold water) and cooling. Then the process begins again. Heating. Hammering. Quenching. Cooling. The cycle continues like life. The process of forging is paramount to the quality of the product.

Mothers and daughters forge a relationship throughout life, a little at a time. It is shaped with patience. Each relationship is unique. Some mothers and daughters look alike. Some mothers and daughters do not. Some mothers and daughters are best friends. Some are not. Some mothers and daughters argue with zeal. Some do not. Some mothers and daughters live near each other. Some do not. Some mothers and daughters are crazy. Some are not. Disregardless, all relationships are forged with passion and welded at the heart with love.

Mothers are a gift. One of the most precious gifts I have received. No one knows a child like a mother. A mother can hear hurt in a cry. A mother can hear a prank in a laugh. A mother can see pain in a face. A mother can see happiness in twinkling eyes. A mother sees strengths and weaknesses, yet loves unconditionally.

The gift of a mother is not forever. My grandmother was a mother to her daughter for 61 years. Karen was a mother to her youngest daughter for 11 years. This precious gift is unpredictable.

After 40 years, my friend, Pam, is mourning the loss of her mother. Grateful for the time. Heartbroken it was so short. Hurting, but this time her mother is not there to comfort...though she is...safely in her heart where their relationship was forged so carefully through the years.