I Hope I become like my Mom

Back in my 20s, when I was trying to figure out what kind of woman I was going to become, I never thought I'd ever utter those words, let alone commit them to print. Back then I saw myself as a radically different kind of person than the woman who had raised me. It's funny what a few years and life experiences can do to one's perspective. Today, I think it would be great if people thought I was like my mom. Our trip to Canyon Ranch reinforced my growing respect for the kind of person my mother is, and always has been. And I'm not just talking about the way she continues to stay active despite the physical limitations of a bad hip, arthritis pain and fibromyalgia. I'm talking about her attitude towards life. She's probably the most positive person I know something I think I've managed to overlook as I've tried to find my own way first as a young woman, then a wife, and now a parent. Our two days alone together at Canyon Ranch gave us a rare opportunity to talk really talk about many things. Things like the worry in the back of my mind about how I would make it if something happened to my husband. If I'd be able to take care of my son and myself alone. "I never thought about that when you were young," my mom told me. "I knew your Dad had a plan in place, and I never worried. I knew if I had to, I could do it." But more importantly, I got to see her through other people's eyes during the different appointments at the Ranch. I kept hearing words like "great," "strong" and "a terrific lady" used to describe my mom by the people we worked with. And then there was the young couple she struck up a conversation with while waiting for me to finish an appointment. Later in the visit, the woman stopped me and told me what a wonderful person she thought my mother was. It's rare that a child gets to see a parent as a person. I'm glad I got the chance. And Mom, I hope someday, people think of me the way they think of you. Debbie Gardner PRIME Editor