My mom is 71 today.

For the past several years, on my mothers birthday,

I’ve become very emotional. I see her each year

and take a card that best describes my feelings,

and sitting in her company, sometimes just start crying.

Ya see, she had a brother and sister who died

when she was just a girl, and she and her surviving brother

(who was beaten continually by his father)

were sent to foster homes when they were kids.

Her mother told me "the bastard never even said he was sorry”.

My mom said today “my life never even started until I married your father”.

That's about when I started to cry.

I know the tenderness inside of me is from her

and I know she’s past all that pain.

Every day I thank God she is my mother.

I love you Ruth.

1/24/97