I grew up in a single parent home and Mother’s Day was one of those days that gave me an extra reason to pamper my mom. We lived a humble life with just one income and really only had the essentials when it came to clothing or appliances. It was rare to get a snack in my lunch or to have a chance to go out for movies but it taught me to value everything I did have.

Once I completed my education and got a real job I decided I was going to take my mom somewhere nice. We rarely ate out and even when we did, it was usually at a buffet or a simple place. I planned to take her to a fancier restaurant that she likely had never been to in her lifetime. My expectation was that she was going to be wowed by the experience and be proud that we can now enjoy these type of meals and not have to scrape by for the next month. So we went, and yes, she did enjoy her food; they were things she never had the opportunity to try in the past and definitely eye opening, in a sense. But as for her truly enjoying the experience, it was quite the opposite; she worried about how much everything cost and how this one meal could have bought us a week’s worth of groceries. It was saddening to see the impact of the life she had led where food security and money were hard to come by.

That dinner taught me how much we take for granted when there are others who are barely getting by. Yes, enjoy your life but don’t over-consume just because you can, don’t over-buy just because you can. Instead do what you enjoy, pursue what you want to learn, and spend time with the ones you love. My mom is still adjusting to a better life but is now more concerned about her health and what she eats rather than how much something costs. I truly appreciate all the sacrifices she has made to raise me and give me the life that she didn’t have an opportunity to have. Happy Mother’s Day to the woman that deserves to finally start enjoying her life.