By Staff
As you read this I hope that you are in some way celebrating Mother's Day.
I realize that not everyone is a mother, but at some point everyone has or had a mother.
Many of you who read this column know me well enough to know that I have a son who was a long time in getting here.
My husband and I started our married life not sure if we wanted children at all. Then the time came when we thought we'd like to add a little Tindell to our family. After many visits to doctors and specialists, we were told we were going to have a difficult time having a child of our own. I'm not sure what was wrong with me, but we accepted that fact and went on about our way.
As time passed, we considered adoption. The process was long, hard and costly. After doing some research and answer a million questions on a whole bunch of questionnaires, we came to the conclusion that adoption was something we would not be able to go through with for many reasons.
We kind of got to the point that it was just going to be the two of us for the rest of our lives and we accepted that.
As time went by, some of my medical conditions changed. I was able to see there was some hope in my somehow becoming a mother. After a few more visits to some doctors and having some medical intervention, the possibility of becoming a mother was finally a reality.
After several months of planning and, well, you know, I was able to announce to my family and my in-laws that Larry and I were going to become parents after all. With more than 16 years of marriage behind us at this point, it was quite a thrill to know that we were going to be someone's mom and dad.
Landon came into our lives in the spring of 1999 and it was the most wonderful day of my life - not because he made me a mom and I could finally have another reason to get a gift sometime in May, but because of the joy he brought to me. He continues to bring that joy to me every day of my life and has for just over eight years now.
I have known love in my life, but never the love that I feel for my child. As a mother, I can imagine it is the most pure love that I ever have or will ever experience. I'm sure it will change some over the years as he grows into a teen and then on to an adult.
For now, though, he's not ashamed to give me a good-bye kiss each morning in front of the school as I send him off to be educated.
He's still not too big to crawl into my lap at night for a story or just to sit with me. He's never afraid to tell me he loves me no matter how many people are around. And, he still calls out for me when he feels sick or sad.
No matter how long you waited for your child, or even if you're still waiting, the pain, swelling, sleepless nights and dirty diapers are all worth the effort.
For those of you who are not mothers, remember this: your mother loves you no matter what you've done, where you've been or who you've become. A mother's love is a pure light of hope and wonder.
This Mother's Day, I hope that mothers will remember that a box wrapped with pretty paper and a sparkly bow is not the gift that makes the day special. Those who won't receive a store-bought gift today should remember to give their mother the one thing that will make her the happiest. That gift is having the joy of having a child, no matter what age, walk up to you and say, Happy Mother's Day Mom - I love you!
Lisa Tindell is a news reporter for The Brewton Standard. She can be reached at 867-4876 or by e-mail at lisa.tindell@brewtonstandard.com.