The Giving Mom

Remember the childhood classic, "The Giving Tree", by Shel Silverstein? It's about a boy and a tree. The boy grows up swinging on its branches and the boy loves the tree and the tree loves the boy. But when the boy gets older he stops swinging from the trees branches, and instead comes back and asks more and more of the tree. He sells her apples to make money, cuts off her branches to build himself a home and finally cuts down her trunk to build a boat. Although the tree is sad, because the boy stays away longer and longer, she never hesitates to give him everything he needs- even if it means compromising her own well being. My mom is the giving tree.

My mother is not perfect, in fact she will be the first person to tell you she isn't perfect. But, my mother is without a doubt the most selfless person I know. When I moved to Georgia back in December I got a job almost immediately. I went to work for the Omni Hotel in downtown Atlanta as a Front Desk Agent. While I truly loved the job, I quickly realized that there was no way I could continue working there if I wanted to support myself (which I very much wanted since I am 26 years old). By April any savings that I had managed to accumulate were gone, my credit card bill kept growing and I knew if I didn't do something quickly I would have to pull money out of my 401k to pay my bills.

I talked to my mother about it a few times, not asking for money, I just wanted someone to vent to. Someone that would listen and understand. At this point I had started applying to jobs like a mad woman- over the course of 3 weeks I probably applied to between 60-75 jobs. Fear will do that to you. And within three weeks I had found a new job. I started to breathe a little easier, I knew soon I would be able to save money again. Nevertheless, I had my current credit card bill looming over my head at the time. I shrugged it off, no, I wouldn't be able to pay the entire amount off, but I would make enough in the next month to pay it off in full. I mentioned this to my mother in passing- again not asking anything of her- more just mentioning it as a sigh of relief "ahhh I got a new job and now I can almost pay off my credit card."

As soon as I told my mom I wouldn't be able to pay off the entire bill, she asked me how much I needed. No. Mom. You don't owe me anything. She argued with me until I told her how much I would need-- $400. And she said "ok, I'll put it in your bank account tomorrow." Now, my mother has never had the highest paying jobs, she knows how to save her money, but she has never been rolling in the dough-- so, I never want to ask anything of her. But whether it be money, love, emotional support my mom always gives everything she has to my sister and I. My mom is the best mom in the world. My mom is the Giving Tree.

I love you mom.

xoxo. Jildo