Dear Mom - An apology

My mother managed to annoy a number of people over the years. Specifically, many people complained to me about her habit of intruding on their lives and pointing out their flaws. Not directly mind you (well, there was some of that as well, because all mothers do that a bit, and at least the times I can remember her doing it to  me, it was entirely deserved), but that's not the one that caused people to complain.

No, it was the "barely subtle", "passive-aggressive" way she would send books, or magazine articles, or newspaper clippings with self-help advice. That "back-door" fault-finding. That is what really got people upset. And many complained to me about it. And I nodded sympathetically, because I had received many of those myself.

Just recently however, I realized something. We had it all wrong.

Have you even seen a sunset, or heard a song or watched a movie that just.... inspired you? It touched you, moved you, filled you with excitement, or wonder, or joy, or hope or... all of the above?

You wanted to share it with your friends, your family, your loved ones. You wanted them to be able to experience that same amazing, euphoric feeling you felt.

Those self help articles were her sunsets, her brilliant arias. When she read them she felt inspired to do more, to be more. She felt hope at the prospect of a new idea, a new approach to life that might help her improve herself, that might help her to fix some of the many flaws, face down some of the many demons which beset her.

And so she shared it,  because that's what you do when a sunset or a song is just too beautiful for words; you share it with the people you love.

I understand now, Mom. I'm sorry it took me so long to figure it out. I love you too.

Love,

Ed