Dear Friend,
Happy Mother’s Day from my family to yours! And while I have you, I wanted to share a quick story about my Mom.
When I was in elementary school, my Mom would pack my lunch for me. It was never anything too fancy, usually a small apple, sandwich, and 30 cents to buy a carton of milk.
One afternoon, I opened up my lunchbox to find a special note from my Mom. With a red pen, she had written a message of love on a patterned napkin, identifying each one of three printed ducklings to be me, my twin sister, and her.
She did the same for my sister’s lunchbox, too. This small act personified who my Mom was. Everything she did was centered on family, and the love that she had for her three children.
Like so many parents, she made a lot of sacrifices. As an immigrant, she came to the United States to achieve the American Dream. She learned English, worked multiple minimum-wage jobs to make ends meet, and, after a four-year fight with cancer, passed away in 2004.
I was 13 years old, and I knew that I needed to honor my Mom’s life through the act of empowering others. Her selfless and kind sacrifices would be mine to carry on. And I would be brave in the face of adversity — just like she was.
This Mother’s Day, I am remembering my Mom, and celebrating all of the Moms out there knowing that for some this is a day that can bring sadness just as it can bring joy.
For me, this is also a day for action — a day to recommit ourselves to women’s equality and ensure people have the power to decide when they are ready to become a mom.
However you plan to honor this day, know that I am right there with you.
Onward,
Representative Anna V. Eskamani