The Gift She Really Wants This Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day is right around the corner — are you ready to shower your mama with all the love she deserves? While a luxurious robe or scented candle is nice, what she really wants is to know how deeply you appreciate her love, sacrifice, and unwavering commitment to being your mother. This short reflection is for all the mothers who give endlessly, and the children (of any age) who want to let her know they notice and appreciate all she does.  I drafted this letter loosely based on my own experience, a blend of what I'd say to my mother coupled with what I hope my children would one day write to me.  I hope you enjoy … and try not to cry.

Dear Mom,

There are some kinds of love that run so deep, you don’t always see them until you step back—like standing at the edge of a wildflower field and realizing just how far it stretches.

That’s the kind of love you’ve given us all these years.

From the very beginning, you put me and my brother’s needs above your own, weaving a life of safety and sweetness in a world that can be anything but. We never felt the weight of what you carried, because you carried it for us. Somehow you made our home feel light—like joy lived in the corners, waiting to be found in quiet mornings, warm meals, or long prayers whispered in the dark.

You shielded us from the harsh winds of life with a strength that never asked to be noticed. But I notice now. I see the gentle armor you wore and the invisible battles you fought—not just for our comfort, but for our hearts. And I am so deeply, forever grateful.

Thank you for teaching us about Jesus—not just in your words, but in your life. In the way you served, in the way you stayed, in the way you prayed even when we didn’t seem to listen. You never gave up hope that we’d come to know Him as you do, and I know that hope carried more weight than we’ll ever understand. Your faith was never forced—it was simply there, faithful and steady, like morning light on the windowsill.

Because of you, we learned that prayer is powerful, that love is patient, and that grace is real.

Thank you for bringing beauty into our lives—not just in the way you arranged flowers on the table, or found the prettiest thrifted dishes, or read us stories that made the world feel magical—but in how you taught us to see it. You taught us that beauty isn’t just in things, but in moments. In quiet courage. In second chances. In how even the hardest seasons can bloom into something holy.

And thank you, most of all, for teaching us that love is stronger than hurt. That it can soften any sharp edge, heal any disappointment, and quiet every fear. You loved us like that—so consistently and so well—that we learned how to love others through your example.

You’ve given us more than we could ever repay: faith, safety, beauty, truth, and the kind of love that writes itself into who we are.

I just want you to know—we see it now. We carry it now. And we are who we are because of you.

Thank you for loving us the way you did.

With all my heart,
Your Daughter