I felt melancholic after calling my mom this morning to wish her a happy Mother’s Day, so I decided to revisit the old family photos. There were lots of Christmases in there — and also some (apparently important) occasions I no longer remember.

But as I flipped through 40 years of memories, it struck me that I didn’t have a single photo of the times that truly mattered: those quiet, everyday moments that make up the bulk of our lives.

Only in my mind do I have snapshots of the afternoons my mamá spent teaching me long division and  handwriting. (If not for her careful instruction, I might still be repeating the second grade!) And if not for her, I also probably wouldn’t speak Spanish, nor would I ever have attempted to learn French.

She taught me how to darn socks, and how to clean a bathroom. She also taught me to prize intelligence and education. She showed me by example how to be gracious … but also firm.

She enriched my life in so many ways — and, in doing so, sacrificed so much of her own. How can I possibly begin to thank her?

Desde el fondo de mi corazón, Mamá, gracias …