When you came into the world, she held you in her arms
You thanked her by wailing like a banshee.

When you were 1 year old, she fed you and bathed you
You thanked her by crying all night long.

When you were 2 years old, she taught you to walk
You thanked her by running away when she called.

When you were 3 years old, she made all your meals with love
You thanked her by tossing your plate on the floor.

When you were 4 years old, she gave you some crayons
You thanked her by coloring the dining room table.

When you were 5 years old, she dressed you for the holidays
You thanked her by plopping into the nearest pile of mud.

When you were 6 years old, she walked you to school
You thanked her by screaming "I AM NOT GOING!"

When you were 7 years old, she bought you a baseball
You thanked her by throwing it through
the next door neighbour's window.

When you were 8 years old, she handed you an ice cream
You thanked her by dripping it all over your lap.

When you were 9 years old, she paid for piano lessons
You thanked her by never even bothering to practice.

When you were 10 years old, she drove you all day,
from soccer to gymnastics and birthday parties
You thanked her by telling the car was embarrassing.

When you were 11 years old, she took you
and your friends to the movies
You thanked her byasking her to sit in a different row.

When you were 12 years old, she warned you
not to watch certan TV shows
You thanked her by waiting until she left the house -
all those teenage years.

When you were 13 years old, she suggested
a haircut that was becoming
You thanked her by telling her she had no taste.

When you were 14 years old, she paid
for a month away at summer camp
You thanked her by forgetting to write a single letter.

When you were 15 years old,
she came home from work, looking for a hug
You thanked her by having your bedroom locked.

When you were 16 years old,
she taught you how to drive her car
You thanked her by taking it every chance you could.

When you were 17 years old,
she was expecting an important call
You thanked her by being on the phone all night.

When you were 18 years old,
she cried at your high school graduation
You thanked her by staying out partying until dawn.

When you were 19 years old, she paid for your college tuition,
drove you to campus, carried your bags
You thanked her by saying good bye outside the dorm
so you wouldn't be embarrassed in front of your friends.

When you were 20 years old,
she asked whether you were seeing anyone
You thanked her by saying, "It's none of your buisiness".

When you were 21 years old,
she suggested certain carriers for your future
You thanked her by saying, "I don't want to be like you".

When you were 22 years old,
she hugged you at your college graduation
You thanked her by asking whether
she could pay for a trip to abroad.

When you were 23 years old,
she gave you furniture for your first apartment
You thanked her by telling your friend it was ugly.

When you were 24 years old, she met your fiance
and asked about your plans for the future
You thanked her by glaring and growling,
"Muuhh-ther, please!"

When you were 25 years old,
she helped to pay for your wedding,
and she cried and told you how deeply she loved you
You thanked her by moving halfway across the country.

When you were 30 years old,
she called with some advice on the baby
You thanked her by telling, "Things are different now".

When you were 40 years of old,
she called to remind you of a relatives birthday
You thanked her by saying you were really busy.

When you were 50 years of old,
she fell ill and needed you to take care of her
You thanked her by reading about the burden
parents become to their children.

********************

And then, one day, she quietly died.
And everything you never did
came crashing down like thunder.

Ask yourself... have you put aside enough time for her?
Be tactful, loving and still show her due respect
though you may have a different view from hers.
Once gone, only fond memories of the past
and also regrets will be left.

See Also:

A Mothers Day Tribute
Mothers are truly amazing

A Special Tribute to all Moms!
Moms are special people!

Mother
A mother's day special

Let's Start A War: A War of Kindness!
What could you do today that would make someone else's day? What could you change in yourself that would ultimately enrich the world around you?

What Love Means
A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds, "What does love mean?" Here are some interesting answers they got.

Six Months to Live and Laugh
On the day a woman learns she has only a short time to live, she meets someone who shows her the humorous side.