Love Your Mom Like an Elevator

Motherhood is a gift.

For Mother's Day my daughter gave me a hand-decorated photo frame. She’s big on famous quotes lately, like this one from A.A. Milne, and seems determined to trademark one of her own that awes and inspires. On the bottom of the frame, she wrote:

“There are no elevators to success, but you, mom, are an elevator all the way.”

If you’re thinking, awww…wait, what?  Then, we had the same reaction, except I squealed, “I love it!” and gave her a big hug, because I truly do love it.

Later, I had to think about it. This particular daughter loves words, and as nonsensical as these seemed, she’d written them with purpose. So I sat down with the frame and considered ways in which I am an elevator:

• I spend most of my time carting people around.

• I don’t react well if you push all my buttons at once.

• I scare people.

All valid points. But that’s not what she means. I think she means that I lift her up.

That’s what my mom does, and arguably what we all need –  someone who lifts you up, out of a bad mood, out of negative thinking, out of your own way. When I forget to call, or email, or when I show up at her house practically unannounced because I forgot to call her, my mom lifts me up anyway. She’s my elevator.

What a gift, to be able to do that for someone else.

So I hope all my fellow moms had a happy Elevator Day. And, as today marks the anniversary of The Mothership’s first post, thanks so much for reading!