Brian Ligienza
Words cannot fully capture the profound impact of a mother’s love on her children. Even before we are born, mothers sacrifice endlessly to care for us. They nurture us by rubbing their bellies, speaking to us, and expressing a love that we don’t yet understand. Long before we know what love is, mothers shower us with tenderness, care, and affection.
Picture a young boy proudly presenting his mom with a weed—a dandelion he believes is a flower—and saying, "Mom, I picked this for you!" It’s the pure joy and appreciation a mother expresses in return that makes that moment so loving. It’s the devotion she shows in making every holiday special—painstakingly wrapping each gift, writing heartfelt messages in every card, taking photos to preserve precious memories, and saving keepsakes from every milestone.
These little moments are what children come to cherish most. For me, it is memories of Mom standing at the door, watching and waiting until I walked all the way down the street and disappeared around the corner on my way to school each day. Of me, running home after elementary school let out, bursting through the door to hug Mom. Or, when Mom and I would bake cookies together, she would allow her young son to sift flour, watching it ‘snow’, only to have him sneak handfuls of cookie dough after the sugar was added. These are the moments etched deeply onto a boy’s heart.
Despite the countless hours, days, and years mothers dedicate to their children, they often only get one day a year—Mother’s Day—for us to attempt to express our gratitude. All too late, we realize just how profound and far-reaching a mother’s love truly is. Only then do we wish we had thanked them more, hugged them more, given them more flowers, and told them more often just how deeply they were truly loved.
In the final stages of her cancer, Mom confided her fears—wondering if her life had been lived with purpose and whether she would be forgotten after she passed. As her son, I hold a treasure trove of cherished memories—of a mom who loved her children with all her heart, who gave every moment of her life unconditionally to their care, who adored her grandchildren with a glowing warmth, and who demonstrated the beauty of a lasting, endearing marriage of over 60 years. The positive impact of her life on mine will never be forgotten.
I can attest that her love never wavered, not even in her final days. The memories of her smile, hugs, and endless love will remain forever etched on my heart. As long as my heart beats, so too will her love and legacy. Mom, I hope to live a life that makes you proud and I show the world all the love that you first so freely showed me. Though your little boy is all grown up now, your “little man" sends a SUPER BIG HUG up to you in heaven—until we meet again when you can greet me with the same.
I truly love you, Mom, and always will.