I miss the warmth of your gentle hug mom and the love I felt when my arms were wrapped around you. I miss seeing your beautiful smile and the sound of your voice saying my name. I miss hearing you say, "I love you," and me saying, "I love you" in return.

I miss saying "Mom" out loud. I miss not being able to find that special card for you, and then having found it, writing "To Mom" on it for yet another cherished Mother's Day.

I miss your words of wisdom and nurturing spirit. I miss the look in your eyes that traveled straight to my heart. I miss the gift of you in the life I have embraced from the day I was born. I miss you Mom!

I miss having you share the feelings that linger deep within my soul; there is emptiness there where you once were. I miss you saying, "This is my daughter," and the look of pride you held with each word spoken.

I said goodbye to the part of me that held you and said, "You can go now" on that painful day! And then, in the grace of that moment … I close my eyes and feel the warmth of your gentle hug once more and envision wrapping my arms around you. I see your smile as you say my name. I realize that if I could just go back into my precious memories of you I would find your treasured words of wisdom in a special place deep in my heart.

The part of me that let you go was the part of me that knew you would be the Angel who watched over me; that believed there truly was a God and that one day I would walk toward your wide open arms and hear you say, "This is my daughter; I love you; you can come now!"

And in the peace of that moment, angels flutter their wings and leave me, knowing that I understand … I am okay! You are with me in my heart! Until we meet again mom, just keep watching over me and praying for me. I still hear your voice, still feel your touch, and you still live in my heart.

Happy Mother’s Day mom. I love you, always have and always will.