hello world...

so, my mama said not to blog. really, she did. therefore, i've decided to dedicate my first ever post in her honor.

i actually spell mama with three "m's", one "o", and an "a", but who's counting? she is, probably. in fact, if she is reading this, which she undoubtedly will, i expect she will also have something to say about my lack of proper capitalization. i'll work on it, mom, i promise. usually, i follow her advice. she is a sage most of the thyme. bad puns and homonyms aside, today i am a rebel. did you know you can be 25 years old and still consider yourself a rebel for going against your mother's advice? true story.

here's the other thing about my mom: she is concerned that i might have a tendency to isolate myself. hysterical, isn't it? i am writing a blog. pretty sure that qualifies as a self-isolating sort of thing. sorry mom!

the truth of the matter is that i love my mother. more than anything. more than air. i love her in an unhealthy way and i'll be the first to admit it. i've informed her that she is actually "not allowed" to die. did i already use the word unhealthy? in the past fifteen months, my mom has literally blown me away. in the wake of our horrible tragedy, she has exemplified grace beyond all of my previously understood definitions of the word.

after 30 years and 11 days of marriage and 14 months of grieving the loss of my father, my mom shared her gratitude at our thanksgiving table for a great year. she thanked our family members and friends for making it possible. and maybe they helped. maybe it was comforting to know they were physically there and still technically available for her, but the truth is, she is the most independent woman i know. she, alone, made a great year happen for herself.

my mom has demonstrated to me how to live a life worth living. if she wants something to happen, she makes it happen. in the past year, she has gotten involved in local politics, religiously protested this ridiculous war, established good relationships with truly interesting friends, given her time and money to various non-profit organizations, travelled all over, began getting regular pedicures for the first time in her life, redecorated her entire house, and finally convinced me to read for pleasure. best of all: she plans to do more. the woman doesn't stop.

mom: i aspire to be like you every day of my life. please don't be mad at me for writing a blog. sorry it got a little sappy...