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A Son's Love Un hijo examines his life and realizes how much his mamá has taught and given him, and how much he truly loves her on this Mother's Day. By Will Caperton y Montoya No one can fill the special place that sons hold in their hearts for their mothers. Mothers and sons share an eternal bond more unique than virtually any other bond two people can share. Our moms bring our families together and make us value the tradiciónes of our cultura; the tradiciónes that teach us nothing is more important in life than fe, familia, y amor. A few months ago I experienced the importance of faith, family, and love when mi Mamá suffered a stroke and nearly died in a hospital emergency room. In fact, for a brief time she did die-she stopped breathing before God gave her soul back to us and allowed the doctors to revive her. Although I did not know about the stroke until later that night, I can only imagine the suffering my Dad went through waiting alone in the emergency room. I wish I could have been with him, but I learned of her stroke too late to catch a plane home to New Mexico until the next day. The doctors feared she was still in danger of dying so they transferred her from the little hospital in my small home town of Española to a larger hospital in Santa Fe. As I flew out on the first plane the next morning, I was terrified at the though of losing mi Mamá. I worried about her ability to survive the stroke and what my father and I would do if she could not. Fe / Faith I tried to be strong once I arrived at the hospital because Mamá always taught me to have faith in Dios Padre. Like los santos, mi Mama truly believes in the power of prayer. I certainly put my faith to the test during those days after her stroke. She was in critical condition so I prayed my abuela's rosary at her bedside and begged God and La Virgen to let her live. My prayers made me realize my parents are the most important people in my life and losing them is my greatest fear. Familia / Family I faced the fear of losing my Mom in that hospital, but I did not have to face it alone. My Dad and I were supported and surrounded by mi familia. My Mom always kept my family together, so her sisters and her brothers - mis tias y tios, and my primos and primas kept vigil in the waiting room hoping for her recovery. Mamá never failed to help anyone in need, especially anyone in the family, so they followed her example by helping me and my Father get through this difficult time. It was touching to see so many friends and family members check up on her and tell us how much they love her. Amor / Love God answered our many prayers and let my Mother recover, but not before I realized just how much my Dad and I love her. She always asked me to love myself and other people with all my heart, and I do love her for all she has done for me. I am very proud of mi Mamá-she is quite a role model. I am proud to be her hijo because she always accepted me and made me feel like the best son in the world. She is very generous with her caring heart and with her wisdom. When I was younger she always tried to teach me that "Everything happens for a reason." I failed to realize the importance of that phrase until her stroke taught me not to live in fear of losing her, but to live in celebration of her. My Mom is a very strong Spanish woman who loves her familia, is devoted to her Catholic spirituality, and treasures her Hispano Cultura. Before she retired, she was a highly educated Latina professional at a time when few women had careers outside the home. As an educator-a teacher and later a principal-she was a success with the many children she taught. I am certainly lucky to have her as a mother and as a teacher who has given me an appreciation for my culture's traditions. This Mother's Day This Mother's Day, I am grateful to still have mi mamá with me and to write this in celebration of my love for her. She is a loving, compassionate, intelligent, and talented woman. I can still learn a great deal from her. So this Mother's Day I not only thank her for mi vida, I also thank her for continuing to teach me how to have faith in difficult times; how to value my family and friends; and how to love myself and be proud of who I am. I am blessed to have such a perfect mom. Con todo mi amor, Happy Mother's Day, Mom! More great stories appear in the print version of qvMagazine, including poetry! <<Previous Article<< | >>Next Article>> Return to Issue 4 Menu | Return to Main Menu