I wish you sunshine on your path…

… and storms to season your journey.  I wish you peace in the world in which you live… More I cannot wish you except perhaps love to make all the rest worthwhile.  -Robert A. Ward

Mrs. Taube.

Fun.  Love.  Love fun.  Fun love.

I was a ‘daddy’s girl’ growing up.  For no specific reason, though I’m not sure there’s ever a reason… but I’m assuming the chick and chick relationship is always a little more full of tension, something scientific about ‘hormones’ etc.  :)  My mom was in charge, too.  Not like she bossed my dad around but when it came to enforcing the chores, expectations and rules my mom was more verbal than my dad.  I’m sure it wasn’t a role she enjoyed but it was necessary.  Naturally as I grew older my relationship with my mom transformed into one of deep friendship.  Oh, trust she can still put me in my place if she feels the need but I now look to her for advice and support and she is now just a person that when I have a few minutes  to spare it’s her I call to talk to (though she claims she never gets to talk to me.)

She is the one girl in a family with four kids.  Her brothers are my wonderful uncles… Mark, Reed and John.  They are all as different as you could possibly make a family.  One a dentist, one an outdoorsman/athlete and one a comedian.  Their only similarities in my mind are their love of fishing and their huge, bottomless hearts.  Growing up I thought the boys were like their mother, my Grandma… fun-loving with an endless heart.  I thought my mom was like her dad, my Grandpa… distant and strict.  I’ve gotten smarter though… Living away from my mom for almost nine years I slowly started to realize the power of her ways.  The power in her expectation, in her strictness, and in her strength, the same power I see in my Grandpa.  Growing up and seeing their relationship I wondered how he won my Grandma, he seemed cold and ornery but NOW it is obvious.  He wouldn’t let on at first, as he’s aged he’s showed the family this amazing, caring side of him… he is in complete awe of my Grandma.  In big family events when he hasn’t seen grandkids in months he’ll still take pictures and 90% of them will turn out to be just my Grandma.  We look through photo albums where he has labeled them, ‘The love of my life, Mary Ann.’  He takes her coat, helps her into her chair, reminds her of her coffee, helps her in the car all with this look on his face like he understands what love is.  This is the trait my mother has.  I never really saw it while growing up.  I recognize it now in the little things.  She has no idea how to work technology but has taught herself how to text and even joined to Twitter to stay on top of her way-too-busy daughter, she’ll send cards (like with a stamp) to me on holidays (valentine’s day even) and sometimes just because, she remembers everyone’s birthday, she probably visits my site twice a day and she forwards on any photography related news or emails.  These are small, there are large things she’s done like give birth to me (duh), buy my plan ticket out of a bad situation and visit me when she knew I needed something constant by my side.  But it is in those small moment I notice what I didn’t most of my life… and that make her so inspirational… she makes me realize you don’t have to give someone a million dollars, you don’t have to kill their enemy, you don’t have to tell someone 40 times a day that they’re great to truly love someone and change someone’s life… sometimes it is just being there.  Like she was… and still is.  It’s bare-boned loved… she doesn’t need to show it off, doesn’t need to scream it from a mountain… she loves through action.

The way she is makes me feel like my life is important… not because she tells me I’m pretty or my work is great or you can do it… but through example.  With me and with everyone, she is someone who can be counted on to care… I know that though I am just one person, I can be that one person to many in ways that don’t need fame or publicity for a job well done.  A consistent friend, a consistent mother, a consistent wife… filled with love… that’s what she is… I hope to be just like her someday… when I grow up!  :)

Love you momma!  erika@erikaleighphotography.com