“A queen is wise. She has earned her serenity, not having had it bestowed on her but having passed her tests. She has suffered and grown more beautiful because of it. She has proved she can hold her kingdom together. She has become its vision. She cares deeply about something bigger than herself. She rules with authentic power.” –Marianne Williamson
My mother has always been my best friend. Maybe because we saw the world in a way that other people around us didn’t understand. Mom and I shared visions and predictions. We would get into long conversations about spirits, reincarnation, out of body experiences, and angels. My mother would grip my hands, stare into my eyes, and say, “I can’t talk to anyone else the way that I can talk to you.”
You see, my mother was a seer, a psychic, a sensitive, a traveler, a seeker…and, for her, it was a horrible burden. She would continually be misunderstand, mocked, and criticized. She would suffer through 40 years of domestic abuse that left her depressed, bitter, and broken. She would only regain her spirit after my father passed and my mother suddenly found herself alone and free to be the woman she was meant to be. She began to reclaim her life. She would then tell me the most amazing stories about God and the universe and I was always so eager to hear and to understand.
I share my mother’s gift. I carry the same burden. It was a tremendous relief for me when my mother finally found the strength to reveal her true self, even though there were still days that it left her lonely and confused. Her visions and intuition had caused her to be lonely and isolated. Being a sensitive, my mother was always aware of the thoughts and feelings of the people around her.
One night, I was with my mother in a hotel room in Atlantic City. We had just spent a long week traveling through the northeast together, exploring Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty, and Niagara Falls. I don’t know if it was exhaustion or exhilaration from our 8-week wander through America, but my mother sat on the bed with her legs tucked up under her. She started to talk about her life, her visions, and the suffering she endured. She began to say to me, “I know people don’t like me. I know most people laugh at me. But I can only be who I am. I can only be me.” Though her voice was strong and her declaration clear, the tears running down her face were breaking my heart. I sat down on the bed beside her and wrapped my arms around my mother and together we shared tears and strength and visions until mom became silent and drifted off to sleep.
The next morning, mom was up early. She was dressed, packed, and ready to continue our journey through America. I was so happy that I was able to share this adventure with her. I was so glad I got to live with her every day for the last nine months of her life. Though my mother always doubted herself, she taught me to be strong; she taught me to be proud of my visions; she taught me to enjoy all of the wonders of the universe, both on earth and in heaven. And this I can say with deep love in my heart and joy in my soul: My Mother was the greatest woman no one ever knew.
Happy Mother’s Day, Momma. I love you. I miss you every day.
And to all of the mother’s, all over the world, who love their children, who teach their children respect and kindness, who hold their children close to their breast and even closer to their hearts, who give their children strength to stand on their own two feet and yet pick them up when they fall…
To all the mothers who give of themselves without asking for anything in return; who stay in the shadows and allow their children to shine…
To all the mothers who are proud of their children even when sing off-key, miss a dance step, or strike out every time they are up at bat…
I know who you are…
I had a mother just like you…
And though it may not always be said, you are always loved and honored…if not by family, if not by neighbors, if not by friends…
You are held in the greatest admiration of God and the Blessed Virgin…
They see your suffering; they know your heart; they understand your deepest intentions and listen to your continuous prayers….
Giving birth was a blessed event and a blessing event…
You are honored…
I wish you all a very Happy Loving Mother’s Day….
Author Jamie Zunick 