The words of a mother can propel you to new heights.

It's her and I now. In the beginning there were 4, and then 1 little one came. We were a family of 5.

Now, all are gone except her and I. 3 were taken. God's plan saw fit to leave us 2.

Just you and I. Just mom and I. Just me and mom. Just her and I, are left, from our immediate family. I am thankful that we can spend our the remaining years together.

I loved you from the day I became aware that you were carrying me in your womb, as my older sister described you to me, and I listened intently. Your gentle care and kindness were described with clarity, just as the beautiful flowing, floral, sheer drapes that were blowing from the breeze coming into the window nearby where you were sitting. Shortly there after, I was born.

Then around the age of one or two, while I was sitting at your feet playing with my toys, you were going through our daily routine. As you watched your day time soap operas, I recall getting bored, as I sat there watching you watch the television. I wonder what it was that you were so interested in on that television set. After observing the screen for a while, and seeing what you were watching, I still wondered why?

The boredom got the best of me. During a commercial break, I came up with a plan. I decided to stand and walk over to the TV in order to block your view, and pretend like I was the person speaking on the TV.

Just as another show was about to go to a commercial break for what seem like the 20th time, I jumped up and I purposely blocked the TV screen with my body, and with my arms spread wide. I yelled out as loudly as I could, "The Days of Tomorrow" and then I proceeded to loudly spell the word "tomorrow". I was hoping to get a reaction from you, and perhaps get the same amount of attention you were giving that TV, but to my surprise I got was so much more.

You immediately starting yelling at me using what seem to me to be a high decibel, ear piercing scream. As you jumped up out of your chair, and darted toward me, you scooped me up in your arms, and hugged me so tightly. As you spun around hugging me, you yelled my name, and said, "Oh My God, Oh My God, you are so, so smart!". I recall it as if it were yesterday.

Mom, your enthusiasm was so unexpected that it initially frightened me a bit. You turned my face to look at your face, eye to eye. While looking at me straight in my eyes, and you asked me, "how did you do that?" You said, it again, "You are so smart". You asked me how did I know how to spell that word. You were so happy.

I become elated too, but I was also a bit confused. I wondered what the big deal was. As I watched you quickly grabbed the phone to call relatives and your friends to tell them what I had just did. I was amused and wondered, what the heck?

That was many years ago, but I remember it as if it happened yesterday. Every so often, I replay that moment, over and over in my mind. And in doing so, it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. And, I have thought of it when I needed to help push myself to the next level in a difficult class in school, both in high school and college. I have use it as motivation to get me through tough situations, and to help me conquer and over come many challenges in life.

I was extremely young at the time, probably too young to be spelling the word "tomorrow", but mom, your enthusiasm and excitement while telling me that I was so smart, set the stage for me for the rest of my life. Your words at that moment helped me tremendously in life.

Thank You Mom, You have no idea the power of those words you exclaimed to me decades ago. I love you, and I thank God for allowing us to have more time together.

Happy Mother's Day