How quickly we forget...

I would have to say that I am as content and happier than I think I have ever been in my life up to this point.  I have finally reached that age where I dont feel "too young" and I dont feel terribly old either.  But I have learned many things that now I can look back on and say, "I'm glad that happened", or "I am thankful that is over with", and, "boy did I learn a lot from that experience".  However, one of the most important things I think I am learning as I get older is that I can't forget the most important things that happened very early on in my life that have made all the difference in my life today.  I am mainly thinking about something that seems so long ago to me now but has made a huge difference in my life and where I am today.

This is something that at the time I know was not an easy thing to this person who had to make some very important decisions, however, she affected the lives of so many others including myself because of her decisions.  This person is my mother.  She made 2 very significant choices in her life that have made all the difference in mine.  #1 My mother chose to join the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints when she was a young divorced mother of 6.  I know at the time this was a very hard thing for her to do because she was brought up Catholic and this religion was very much a part of her mexican culture.  Her mother threatened to disown her if she would do this.  This was a scary decision for her all the way up until the moment she took that step and then her life and the life of her children took on a different purpose from then on.  She married again and had 2 more children.  Life was not easy but then she made another very important decision that again changed the course of so many lives including mine.  #2 She chose to leave a harmful situation and free herself as well as her children from an unhappy and painful life.

These 2 choices made by my mother changed the course of my life for good!  For one, I can not imagine my life without the Gospel of Jesus Christ and all of the many blessings it has brought me.  And two, my mother set me personally free of physical and emotional pain.  What more could this sweet young mother do to save a soul like me?  I cant think of any 2 things more important that have affected the course of my life. 

It is interesting that as we get older and set in our ways, we forget the simple acts of love and devotion that our parents do for us and we can get so caught up in those things that we now take for granted.  We forget that our parents aren't us.  (thank goodness... because we just have it way easier than they did in so many ways) Parents aren't perfect, heavens knows I am not.  I am sure someday my children will have the advantage of taking for granted those things that my husband and I have worked so hard to give them.  However, I hope that I can teach my children in some small way to not lose sight of, or appreciation for, the truly important and simple sacrifices made for them when they were young. 

I am ashamed of the times when I was judgmental about how my mother could have done this or that better or that she didn't understand what I do today about raising kids and blah blah blah.  She had her set of trials and struggles in her time and we have ours today.  So what if she doesnt see things my way? So what if she may not understand what I always think I need? She is who she is and only she knows what it took to struggle and survive all that she had to go thru in her life.

Because of her, my life will be much different when I am her age.  I will not have the same kinds of struggles but I am sure they will feel just as real as hers do to her.  However, I hope and pray that even then I will never forget the important decisions she made early in my life that afford me to have a different set of trials, and that have also brought so much joy into my life today.  Yes, I have been truly blessed by my dear sweet mother. How quickly we forget how blessed we are because of those who went before us,who paved the way for us to have a better life...and oh how blessed I am because of my dear sweet mother!