“No mother is ever, completely, a child’s idea of what a mother should be, and I suppose it works the other way around as well. But despite everything, we didn’t do too badly by one another, we did as well as most.”

Margaret Atwood, The Handmaid’s Tale

Last week my Mom celebrated her 94th birthday. My brother, his wife, their young son, my sister, a cousin and I joined together to celebrate. Mom has dementia, but semed to have a wonderful day. She talked and laughed along with the rest of us, really enjoying her day.

I chose the quote, it seemed to fit us. People see my Mom as a sweet lady; she was not always that sweet. As a young, new wife and mother, Mom’s life was hard. As a child, learning life was hard. Growing up I know I was not always the perfect child, perhaps even a disappointment at times. We grew through the trials and tribulations and now share a deep love of mother and daughter.

Happy Birthday, Mom! I love you.