MOM
It is the 26th of Mai 1997, I am 19 and scared to hell. The airport in Hamburg. I have never stepped foot into a plane, but now I have to. There is somebody waiting for me at the end of this flight. Who? I don´t know. I just know I have to run away, get as far as possible from here. I don´t know what is waiting on the other side, but I already have been through hell, it cannot get any worse.
The stewardess smiles at me when I walk in. She tells me something I do not understand. Noticing my insecurity, she pushes me gently to my seat. Outside the window I can see the suitcases being put into the plane. I spot mine. It is tugged between all those other unfamiliar bags and has no idea what is about to happen to it. Surrounded by all that luggage, my suitcase looks lost to me. Like me, it has no home, no place to hide and nobody to trust.
Two hours later I land in Copenhagen. I have to wait for the connecting flight to Keflavik airport. An employee walks me to the right gate and I sit there for 4 and a half hours. I have to pee and I am very hungry, but I do not dare to budge an inch. God knows what could happen if I lose sight of that gateway door.
Another two hours and I receive a hug from a woman I don´t know. I did not miss my flight, I used the toilet on the plane and found my luggage again. The two of us re-united, ready to face the new world. The new woman, I and my luggage drive for an hour through a landscape that can only be described as barren. It is full of cold lava and nothing else. I might have been wrong, it can always get worse!
This was almost 9 years ago. It did not get worse.
Now I am sitting here writing this to you and hardly recognize this girl that was so terrfied, alone and un-trusting. I believe from the depth of my heart that I was blessed. I also believe that the hugging woman is an angel in disguise. I was to be an au-pair for her autistic son. I was supposed to lighten her weight a little. I might have done just that, but she pointed out I had wings and taught me how to fly. She made me become the person I never thought I could be.
She almost single-handedly enrolled me into university. My rejection to this offer did little to stop her. She payed for my driver´s license, took me to theatres, musicals and trips abroad. She threw all sorts of books my way. A few years later she "adopted" me and I am a full fledged member of her large and slightly crazy family.
When she hugs me now, I am not a stick in her arms anymore.
When I am scared I only need to call.
When I screw up: she smiles, because it is ok to make mistakes.
Today is her birthday.
MOM! When I stepped into that plane, I did not know that at the end of it I would find everything I was looking for. A home, unconditional love, a passion for life, a thrist for knowledge and hope for a future. All of these things you made possible with nothing but being you. I am so grateful for that. I know that you know how I feel about you. But I still felt the need to say it.
Happy birthday, Mom!
The stewardess smiles at me when I walk in. She tells me something I do not understand. Noticing my insecurity, she pushes me gently to my seat. Outside the window I can see the suitcases being put into the plane. I spot mine. It is tugged between all those other unfamiliar bags and has no idea what is about to happen to it. Surrounded by all that luggage, my suitcase looks lost to me. Like me, it has no home, no place to hide and nobody to trust.
Two hours later I land in Copenhagen. I have to wait for the connecting flight to Keflavik airport. An employee walks me to the right gate and I sit there for 4 and a half hours. I have to pee and I am very hungry, but I do not dare to budge an inch. God knows what could happen if I lose sight of that gateway door.
Another two hours and I receive a hug from a woman I don´t know. I did not miss my flight, I used the toilet on the plane and found my luggage again. The two of us re-united, ready to face the new world. The new woman, I and my luggage drive for an hour through a landscape that can only be described as barren. It is full of cold lava and nothing else. I might have been wrong, it can always get worse!
This was almost 9 years ago. It did not get worse.
Now I am sitting here writing this to you and hardly recognize this girl that was so terrfied, alone and un-trusting. I believe from the depth of my heart that I was blessed. I also believe that the hugging woman is an angel in disguise. I was to be an au-pair for her autistic son. I was supposed to lighten her weight a little. I might have done just that, but she pointed out I had wings and taught me how to fly. She made me become the person I never thought I could be.
She almost single-handedly enrolled me into university. My rejection to this offer did little to stop her. She payed for my driver´s license, took me to theatres, musicals and trips abroad. She threw all sorts of books my way. A few years later she "adopted" me and I am a full fledged member of her large and slightly crazy family.
When she hugs me now, I am not a stick in her arms anymore.
When I am scared I only need to call.
When I screw up: she smiles, because it is ok to make mistakes.
Today is her birthday.
MOM! When I stepped into that plane, I did not know that at the end of it I would find everything I was looking for. A home, unconditional love, a passion for life, a thrist for knowledge and hope for a future. All of these things you made possible with nothing but being you. I am so grateful for that. I know that you know how I feel about you. But I still felt the need to say it.
Happy birthday, Mom!
32 Comments:
What a wonderful tribute to your "new" mother! Very, very, very nice.
And, a Happy Big Birthday to you Monika...for blossoming. Your mom brought forth a new flower, so fragrant, colorful, charming, resorceful, creative and delicately strong...So, now, how big has your head grown over the last few seconds? Just kidding. Your personal trip strenghtened your spirit and gave you a new life. How GREAT is that? Happy Birthday to your loving mom.
Happy birthday to Mom, Monika. Please extend my hugs and thanks to the wonderful angel who brought you to us. Congratulations for a job well done.
smiles
What a wonderful birthday present. Thank you my dearest! Mucho am I glad you found the way to me, to us and didn´t miss that flight! You brought a new light into my life and I am proud to call you my daughter. I love you dearly, we all love you dearly and be sure, you didn´t just get a mom but a dad too and lots and lots of family. And you suit so well. Remember the picture of my grandmother? And you forgot to tell that on the way through the barren landscape you asked me why I talked so good german. Poor baby.
Monika, what a beautiful tribute. I am so glad you found your mom and your way away from the hurt and the pain... you deserve it! You are a beautiful soul and I am proud to call you a sister!
Mom, have a very happy birthday! I am glad you found your daughter! May you have a beautiful, beautiful day!
Okay, it's too early to be crying, but here I am, with tears in my eyes.
Happy Happy Birthday to your Mom!!
TLP, very, very, very? really? Thank you!
windowtomymind, Hi again! One of these days you have to elborate on your display name:) Those are wonderful words and I thank you for them. I made quite a transformation. I´d never say I am the ugly duckling that turned into a swan, ´cause that´d be arrogant. But I say this: I turned from a normal looking duckling into a quite interesting goose :)
asiansmiles, I don´t have to extend your nice sentiments. My mom is constantly on this blog, has her own and commented just after you. She goes under the name of Biene! I am sure she loved your wishes...
Mom! *TWIST* you are today´s inspirational blogger! Sorry, Sar, I just couldn´t resist. :)
and mom...I kinda am broke right now, so I thought this would make up for the missing birthday card ;) Just kiddin'
Miz B. I love you too. So much. And soon we´ll meet and hug it out!
3D, we cross-posted. *Queen extends an embroidered handkerchief to the weeping Pez*. Didn´t mean to make anybody cry, it is lovely however to see these emotions. Dddragon...I guess we have this in common: a wonderful MOM.
What a wonderful tribute. Glad you found your place in the world, Monika.
Happy birthday.
Happy Birthday to your mom. I think she's pretty lucky to have you too.
Very well done, Monika. Happy Birthday to a wonderful woman.
*TWIST* - loved the inspirational nod!
Speaking of inspirational, thanks for sharing such an endearing story, Monika. I only know you as the woman you are now, my sweet sis, but I appreciate appreciate both the life you've lived to get here and Icelandic Mom for making it possible. You are lucky to have each other. Happy Birthday Icelandic Mom and Happy Life dear Monika. :)
I TRAVERSE THE DISTANCE
AT A TIME OF DISPAIR
TO A LIFE OF EXISTENCE
I AM FRIGHTFULLY UNAWARE
AND MUCH TO MY SURPRISE
I HAVE BEEN SOUGHT AFTER...
GREETED........NOW FOUND
BY AN UNCONDITIONAL LOVE
THAT I CAN LIVE THE REST MY LIFE
WITH... AND NO LONGER WITHOUT
Thank God for LOVE and MOTHERS!!
Enjoy your loving time with each
other and Thank You for allowing
me to share a little of this with
both of you from so far away.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!
I look forward to Thursday's challenge.
Gary
Vancouver, WA
jenna, I am still looking to a certain extend, but I have such a huge safety net now that I can take any chance i like!
Cube, I think she knows that too and she tells me almost every day!
Fred, I´ll pass your regards on tonight at her party! She calle dme yesterday and asked if I had any Pink Floyd or Eminem records she could play at her party, now what is all that about? :)
Sar...and a great life it is. It is a wonderful thing that sometimes during all the stress you are happy you are alive.
Gary, wow! I loved that! Is this a text to a song or something? Thursday is in 6 days, I´ll try to have a challenge for you ready :)
I must confess that it was all Gary.I tried to find something that was fitting to your post, it too had a poetic rythum to it but without any success. I did a search under love between mothers and daughters but most did not fit or were quite lenghty. So I scratched that one out on my own this morning. I hope you have a wonderful party!
Yes! Finally I can comment!
That was a beautiful story and very well told. I was afraid for you until you described your mom and then I knew you'd be OK. This in spite of knowing where you'd be in 2005.
It's also the kind of description you couldn't give to a woman who wasn't extraordinary. It just wouldn't work without sincerity. I'm glad the two of you found each other. You deserve each other.
Happy Birthday Sabine!
I believe tha Biene has been your Mother in a past life and that you found each other again. Your post is a lovely tribute to a worthy Mother. I love your new look Ice Queen. You and MizBohemia rock.
Happy Birthday Biene. Will you be having cake today?
That was so beautiful...so glad doug sent his readers over here as I would've hated to miss out on such a lovely post...Happy birthdayto your MOM!
Doug, yeah I have been kinda wondering about you. usually you are under the first 5, and I noticed that you weren´t commenting on your own blog as well. i was slightly worried. I know there are rattlesnakes on your property and I was ready to call 911 and hour now :)
aunty, you are back! Howa re youfeeling? i have to visit your blog and check if you have posted something!
squaregirl, welcome. That Doug!You are not new to me however and I am glad you checked in. pull up a chair and have a glass of liquid...ther eis plenty more where taht came from!
Thanks for sharing that part of your story and passing the blessing on. Your mom must be a very special person.
Tim Rice, yes she is. I am not a very sentimental person, but I give credit where it is due. She is wonderful and I love her.
Come on, Monika. You're a little sentimental.
Doug, I can´t read the entire sentence...
I can only read:
"Come on, Monika. You´re (some symbols) sentimental. I wanna know the entire sentence! And you sent squaregirl over here! Thank you!
Monika~ hope I'm not too late to chime in on wishing your Mom *Happy Birthday*. What a wonderful tribute.
btw, I'm here from Sar's blog. :)
You're a little sentimental, I said. And my pleasure.
Happy Birthday to Mom!
Beautiful story....
Happy Birthday, mom!
and what a lovely tribute, Monika, I have watery eyes too.
Family, where ever you find them, are the best part of life, so glad you two found each other!!
Karen...welcome and chime away!
Doug, ok...sometimes I get these symbols in my comment sections taht I can´t interpret.
AP3, she is about to wale up and read all these lovely comments and it will make her very happy!
Logo, yeah, sometimes we get lucky to choose them for ourselves:)
Keith, I can realte. I see my sister in germnay and my three nieces only 1 or twice a year. Missing so much of their growth. But when I am there I spoil them rotten :)
Monika, I italicized "little." When you see symbols it's probably TLP saying "that Monika!"
Ahhh...I see! Well I can´t see it when you do it, I can see it when TLP does it! Strange!
that was very nice.
(*)>
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