All About You.

For my mum on her birthday.

This piece is one I've long intended to do.

As my biggest influence, my best friend, my idol and an angel on earth, she is someone I have written about many times before.

Although, nothing I've written ever seems worthy and I've concluded nothing ever will be.

She's the kind of human you just cannot put into words.

There are not enough words in all the languages in the world put together to do her justice.

But maybe through sharing the things I have observed, I'll be able to share just a little bit about who my mum is.

Kids observe everything. From the moment they are babies, their little eyes watch those around them, and they never really stop. I still haven't.

It is a proven fact that children learn from observing.

And how lucky was I to grow up learning from the best of the best.

Throughout the last twenty-two years I have observed my mum not only excel at being a mother, but a human being.

She is outgoing, bubbly, silly, funny, down to earth, a hard worker and the life of every party.

She can yell loud and is sometimes controversial.

She is loving, kind, supportive and so strong.

She is sunshine in a human form, she's everything good in the world, a heart of absolute gold and a soul that angels envy.

Throughout the last twenty-two years I have observed my mum through happiness and heartbreak.

I have watched how she interacts with the world, other people and herself.

While there are things we disagree on, things we view differently, and ways we are very different, she is a massive part, probably the main part, of who I am as a person.

She's taught me all the usual things; to walk, talk, toilet, dress myself.

She taught me manners, why lying is bad, how to put a doona inside its cover, how to make a toasted sandwich. She taught me to always help the elderly, not to 'judge a book by its cover', stand up for myself and always stay true to myself.

The list is endless.

But there are things you simply cannot teach, things that just are inside a person and the framework of who they are. Things like feeling deeply, loving fully, compassion, understanding, selflessness, fairness .... my mum embodies them all.

She has the ability to forgive the unforgivable, call bullshit when she sees it, lift other's up and smile while she carries the weight of the world on her shoulders.

I think to sum her up, the best I can, she is just perfect and she holds every desirable quality anyone could ever want in another person.

She has more love in that heart of hers than there is water in the ocean and for as long as I've known her she has always put other's before herself; patients at work, us kids, her elderly parents, other family members, friends and even outright strangers.

Memories are funny things, aren't they?

We don't really get to pick what parts of life stick with us, and what ones fade or hide away.

All the ones we do keep, for whatever reason, and no matter how deep they're hiding, link together to create our opinions, our beliefs, our morals, our values.

I have countless memories of my mum. If you took them and stretched them from end to end they would last a lifetime. But, for some reason while trying to describe her there's a few that stood out to me.

One year at Farm World I watched her approach a stranger struggling up Lardner Park's big hill.

The lady was pushing a twin pram with two kids inside, a slightly older child walked beside her whining, there were bags and clothing hanging from the pram.

She was visibly exhausted with the juggling act of a day out with three young kids and the heaviness of pushing them up the hill.

My mum pushed that heavy pram all the way to the top of the hill, giving this lady a relief to walk up it alone, a moment to rest at the top and gather all her belongings then pack them appropriately.

After the lady was sorted (and had thanked mum profusely) Mum just wondered off and went about her day, distracted by a nearby stall.

Over the years, I've seen my mum many times go out of her way to give strangers in public a helping hand, but this time, although no more significant than the others, has, for some reason, stuck with me.

Mum was the kind of parent at school who was never really involved in the clickiness or carry on.

But she was always helping other families whenever needed.

Despite the fact she was often busy with work and rushing around after her own family and our many sports, she continuously throughout all our schooling picked other people's kids up from either schools or bus stops, and transported them to basketball or football trainings.

It didn't matter what school they went to, where their bus stop was, or how far out of her way it was. If people needed it she would do it.

The amount of kids that mum has welcomed into our home, for however long or for whatever reason, is uncountable.

There's also been some harder times that I've watched my mum handle with absolute grace.

One of the worst times of my life was when I watched with panic inside me as my mum was senselessly and violently assaulted on our front porch, then I watched as she quickly pulled herself together to comfort us kids and let us know everything was okay.

I remember sitting on her bathroom floor crying hysterically and uncontrollably while she calmly assessed her injuries and cleaned herself up, assuring me she was okay.

Looking back now, I can't even imagine how hard going through that would have been for my mum.

I wish I had of been old enough to be comforting her, instead of her comforting me.

I thought twice about sharing this memory, however, it speaks volumes to the person that she is as years later she quite literally emptied her purse to that same man in the supermarket while his card was being declined. AND then delivered even more money to his house that night.

I watched as this man cried in my mum's arms at his own life falling apart.

And, despite the numerous unforgivable things he'd done to her and they way he had treated her, she held him.

She forgave him.

That is just one example of many others that show exactly the caring, forgiving and selfless person my Mum is.

She has always been kind to this life, and it has not always been kind in return.

I think maybe there is a sense of danger in her generosity and selflessness.

Like maybe some people can become accustomed to it and take advantage of it by developing some sense of entitlement to it.

And without even knowing it they mistreat her and under appreciate her.

Mum, you are incredible.

You are so loved by so many people in so many ways.

You deserve not just an amazing day today, but an amazing life.

And with a challenging year behind you, I hope you make this next one... alllll about YOU!

Step outside your comfort zone, put other's aside and yourself first.

Do things that make YOU smile.

Do things that make YOU feel alive.

You've banked up enough favours from your loved ones to last you a lifetime; cash them in.

Take a year off from being everyone else's hero and just be your own.

Happy birthday my beautiful Mumma, may this year be magic!

I love you to the moon & back a million times.

Chloe xx