When you were inside your mom's tummy,
your mom suffered the pain that you gave to her,
and you thanked her by kicking her all day long.


When you were 1 year old,
your mom celebrated the first birthday of you,
you thanked her by crying all day long.


When you were 2 years old,
your mom started teaching you how to talk,
you thanked her by saying ummmumumumumamamama.


When you were 3 years old,
your mom brought you to the park,
you thanked her by running around the pond, and chasing the ducks.


When you were 4 years old,
your mom bought you some toys,
you thanked her by breaking the toys on the next day.


When you were 5 years old,
your mom bought you a story book and read it to you,
you thanked her by ripping it piece to piece.


When you were 6 years old,
your mom sent you to the kindergarten, so that you can start making friends,
but you thanked her by fighting with your classmate.


When you were 7 years old,
your mom made you a very nice lunch for the first day of school,
you thanked her by throwing your foods around the class.


When you were 8 years old,
your mom handed you an ice cream,
you thanked her by dripping it all over your lap.


When you were 9 years old,
she paid for piano lessons,
you thanked her by never even bothering to practice.


When you were 10 years old she drove you all day,
from soccer to football to one birthday party after another,
you thanked her by jumping out of the car and never looking back.


When you were 11 years old,
she took you and your friends to the movies,
you thanked her by asking to sit in a different row.


When you were 12 years old,
she warned you not to watch certain TV shows,
you thanked her by waiting until she left the house.


When you were 13 years old,
she suggested a haircut that was becoming,
you thanked her by telling her she had no taste.


When you were 14, she paid for a month away at summer camp,
you thanked her by forgetting to write a single letter.


When you were 15, she came home from work, looking for a hug,
you thanked her by having your bedroom door locked.


When you were 16, she taught you how to drive her car,
you thanked her by taking it every chance you could.


When you were 17, she was expecting an important call,
you thanked her by being on the phone all night.


When you were 18, she cried at your high school graduation,
you thanked her by staying out partying until dawn.


When you were 19, she paid for your college tuition,
drove you to campus carried your bags. You
thanked her by saying good-bye outside the dorm
so you wouldn't be embarrassed in front of your friends.


When you were 25, she helped to pay for your
wedding, and she cried and told you how deeply
she loved you. You thanked her by moving
halfway across the country.


When you were 50, she fell ill and
needed you to take care of her.
You thanked her by reading about
the burden parents become to their
children.


And then, one day, she quietly died.
And everything you never did came
came crashing down o your heart.

You know you love your mom,
so thank her.

Put this in your journal.