Love letters to Mom on Mother's Day, written by Vancouverites

One day out of the year, we have the opportunity to give back, acknowledge and thank everything our Mother’s have ever given to us – and that’s everything.

Over the past week, we asked Vancouverites to submit their letters to Mom as a special way of celebrating this Mother’s Day. Here are the ‘perfect words’ to Mom, stories that likely resonate with many.

To all Mom’s out there, this one is for you…

Cheyenne Kuckein

Dear Mom (aka the super-mother of three, the “cool” grandma, the do-it-all lady),

This thank you letter is for you. Sure, it was written by me, but it is said on behalf of just about everyone you know – your friends, your co-workers, our family, our puppy, our neighbours – heck, even our neighbours lawn! Here’s why.

You work hard. I really don’t know how you do it. Sometimes I get worried that you’ll make yourself sick with all the things that you do. One second you’re doing crafts with Quinn or helping in the neighbour’s garden, and the next you’re off at work supporting the family. By the time I turn around, all the laundry is done, the kitchen is spotless, and two dinners are on the stove made to accommodate a hungry vegetarian and a cranky meat-lover. Honestly, I’m still looking for a hidden time machine or robot clone in your bedroom. Maybe you should start the robot clone on a book of how you manage to do it all. It would be a best seller.

You inspire. The average mom has a hard time raising a family with the help of a partner – you do it alone. Three kids, a grandson, a puppy– you give all of us the same amount a love that two parents would give. Dad’s passing never broke you.

You are the living, breathing version of the quote “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”

I can’t say that the journey to where we are now has been an entirely smooth ride, but I can say that it is a ride that I will never forget– a ride that will continue to be my main source of inspiration. You have demonstrated a serious level of independence, strength, and forward-thinking. You have certainly set a high bar for my future mom-self, and all the other current and future moms out there.

So, yeah. Keep doing what you’re doing. I’m still figuring out how I can do my part to show you how much all of your hard work really means to me. I know I haven’t done such a great job this far, but I can’t wait to prove that you are the best… mom… ever.

Sara San

My mom, Chan Keo is remarkable. She’s truly the strongest woman I know. She escaped from the Cambodian genocide in the 1970s and found refuge in a camp in Thailand until she was sponsored by a Canadian couple in Manitoba.

In 1984, my mom, dad, and brother had settled in Winnipeg. That year, my other brother was born. My dad became gravely ill a few months after their arrival which meant my mom had to work two full time jobs while supporting/visiting my sick father in the hospital and having my young brothers at home. In 1988, I was born and that year, my dad’s diabetes had became full blown and he needed surgery. A few years later, he passed away.

My mother became a widow in her mid 30s. She continued to work two full time jobs to ensure we had food on our plates, a house to grow up in, a vehicle to get us around and brought us to church every week to teach us that god has really helped us through even after everything that had happened.

My mother is truly inspiring. She is full of love, compassion, forgiveness and motivates me to be the best that I can be. After all the trauma that she has been through, you would never know… She has forgiven those who hurt her. She continues to live her life to the the fullest and loves with all her might. She has taught me patience. Something I am so thankful for.

This Mother’s Day, I would like to show my appreciation for my mom and really give her the recognition that she deserves. Thank you mom for loving me and my brothers and for teaching us how to be wonderful parents. Everything we know is all because you loved us and never gave up even when times were hard. You really are a blessing. I love you so much!

Arielle Brown

Dear Mom,

Ever since I was little you taught me that sending a thank you letter after receiving a gift is an essential component of appreciation. You being my mother is a gift in itself so it’s about time I wrote a letter thanking you.

Thank you for those sleepless nights when you first brought me home and later on when I was out too late.

Thank you for your endless hugs and caring nature throughout my broken bones and my broken heart.

Thank you for numerous reaffirming conversations that eased my worried mind and brought me peace in the moment.

Thank you for showing me the meaning of being selfless in a sandwich generation, by caring for not only your children, but for caring for your own mother.

Thank you for attending every talent show, dance recital, school play, soccer game, and graduation; it was the greatest feeling knowing you were there to see and support all my endeavours.

Thank you for showing me what courage looks like when you fought cancer and when we feared the worst – I’ve never met anyone who has displayed such a positive and fearless attitude, even though I know you were shattered and terrified on the inside.

And Mom, thank you for demonstrating how to be an independent, thoughtful, loving, intelligent woman so I could easily follow in your footsteps.

Happy Mother’s Day. I love you!

Love,

Arielle

Celia Deyagher

I could really go on for hours to you about how special my mom is. My mom is always the one to look up to, she was always there for me when I needed her the most. A shoulder to cry on, a friend to go on a walk with, just someone I know that will always be there.

My mom is beautiful, my friends growing up thought she was my sister and my brothers friends thought she was “so good looking.” My mom has taught me so many things I can share with others, I still learn from her everyday.

She continually considers the needs of others before thinking of herself, arranging her life to accommodate others. I now live on my own and often call her because I mess up cooking or  I don’t know how to get the stain out of the carpet!

She taught me my ABC’s and 1, 2, 3′s. She taught me how to behave and how to share with others. She taught me about life and how to wear my hair. She is the reason why I exist and that is much appreciated!

Thank you Mom for all that you do because I would be nowhere without you. I’m lucky to have a mom I can call any time of the day just to say ‘hi’, because I know many people don’t have that and I feel like it’s a special thing to have. I love my mom!

Tina Shaw

From the beginning of my life I knew the kind of love my mom had for me was the most powerful love in the world! I never expected it could grow and exceed my expectations day after day for 25 years! I am so blessed to have a Mom like Wanda Shaw.

Not only do we celebrate Moms’ today it’s her birthday as well!! Every year I can never feel like I’ve given back enough to this amazing woman, and the older I get the more I see how outstanding she truly is. Every child and adult that has been so lucky to have a wonderful parent in their life will say things such as “ Best Mom IN the WORLD” and I wish that there was something more outstanding to say, but here’s a letter that will help me share how amazing this woman truly is…

My Mom has always gone above and beyond as a person! She’s taught me that a job worth doing is a job worth doing well, and she’s always set an amazing example of that! Most recently we’ve been running a Home Staging and Renovations company www.properkey.ca which truly makes her sparkle in a way I’m so happy to be a part of.

She’s always raised me to chase my dreams and aided my creativity on all avenues. From school, and back, and having no clue of the amazing amount of chores you achieved in that time frame, to being home for the classic 5 p.m. dinner on the table, to getting Paul and I to all our many, many… many classes and games. I’m so thankful you were a schedule pro, that or you secretly have a clone!

In the past my Mom has also owned a successful company for 35 years with my Father. Things took a big turn in the millennium and my mom blew us away by wearing a number of hats when my dad fell very sick.

She was an outstanding Mom, spending two years visiting my dad in the hospital everyday. She helped run a number of family companies and continued to keep my brother and I up to our regular shenanigans.

My dad came home after many ups and downs and she took on another role as his nurse… after spending tons of time as a family in the hospital for the past fourteen years we all feel like medical experts, but we still don’t enjoy talking about digestive track issues over a dinner conversation.

Mom will be the first to mime a gaging face! She’s always taught me to make the best of a situation and see the happiness in it.

• Thank you for always putting your smile on, even at the hardest of times.
• Thank you for having such a loving nature and never giving up.
• Thank you for being an astonishing Momma through all of Paul and I’s moments of glory, failure and frankly; tantrums.
• Thank you for being the best example I’ve ever seen of LOVE and dedication.
• Thank you for being my silly dance partner from car seat to nightclub!
• Thank you for being the garage sales first customer and then buying back what you donated.
• Thank you for always slowly spelling out the simplest of word for us to this day.
• Thank you for laughing the hardest at my silly voices and being there for me throughout all the silly heartbreaks.

Thank you really isn’t enough!

I loved that you wrote a letter for your Mom a few years ago and I know all of us are so happy to wish Grandma Eileen Munn a Happy Mothers Day today as well. I’d also like to say Thank-you to Grandma for bringing my Hero into the world on this May 11th Mothers/Birth Day.

I can only hope that I’m half the Mom, grandma, daughter, sister, wife, aunt, nurse, friend, artist, entrepreneur, maid, stair-climber, permanent dog sitter, chauffeur, home stager, cheerleader…really I could go all day on this list!

Olive Juice in Elephant shoes!

Ay Liu

Mom I know I’ve never really expressed my love for you
But I want to take some time to show you my gratitude

There were times I was so mad I could strangle you
In an instance though, you could quickly change my point of view

Like the time we came home to the man cutting out our power
Because the bills were just too much for you to handle
Dad bailed us out, we were in the dark for only a couple of hours
I still had a blast playing cards with you by the candles

Even though you had your habits of straying towards the neon lights
At the start of every month you’d always stay out late all night
Finally coming home to your family with the sunlight

You have your demons and I hope one day that you can face it
I have your love and I want you to know I’ll never misplace it
You weren’t always attracted to lady luck’s siren song

You were so young when caring for us became your life
But you took that role on well, you were almost a version of a Step-ford wife
Packed lunches, tuck ins, and goodnight songs
Somewhere along the path something went wrong
If you had stood strong, Leave it to Beaver could’ve been my life

But a deck has fifty-two cards and you can’t always draw aces
I learned that through you, now I know to stay away from those places

I don’t want to sound like a cliche or a broken record
But mom you always made the best home-cooked meals
Ask your other kids because that’s also the way they feel

Even at the worst of times, just a hug from you makes me feel calm
Thank you so much for being mom.

– T.Truong

 

Rebecca Hernandez

Dear Mum,

It has been 18 years since you passed away.. You died on Mother’s Day 1996 from Chrons disease. I miss you so much. I wish I had more time with you, especially now that I am a mother of 3. You were a greatmother. I was 10 when you died, but I distinctly remember you playing with us. You were so loving, yet strict at the same time. I am grateful for time I had with you, and can only hope that I am making you proud. I love you.

Arash and Vida Kheshtkar

Dear Mom,

As being a single parent wasn’t hard enough, you had to deal with me everyday. You weren’t just a mom as we were growing up… You were our friend, father, older sister and brother to us.
To my brother and I, you were our rock, our inspiration, our world and a parent. I wish I could give you a world but that isn’t even close to how much you mean to us. The world seems too small.
Love you with all my heart.

Thank you for being my mother.

Love,
Arash and Vida

Featured Image: Newborn baby and mother via Shutterstock