Yours, Mine, and Ours

Dear EJP,

Another Mother’s Day is upon us here in the U.S. and I was wondering if Haiti celebrates mom’s the way we do. You (and so many moms in Haiti) should most certainly be recognized, praised and appreciated for your hard work and sacrifice. And yet, there is a part of me that hopes that you don’t celebrate this day so you can be spared anymore heartache. Normally I think of my own sadness and frustration on Mother’s Day as I long to be a mom and bring our kids home. But today, I find myself thinking of your sadness and your frustration. My heart aches…. for the gaping hole left in your heart as you entrust your sweet little babes to another; for the sting of knowing that they’ll call a stranger “mom” and that they’ll come running to her, in good times and bad; for a lifetime of wrestling with all the “what if’s?”; for the most selfless decision any human being can make, and yet you still suffer; and for the longing to hold them close and know that they are safe and healthy and happy.

I don’t know that I’ll ever comprehend your strength, your selflessness and your utterly fearless love for your children. But I do know that I will tell them of it whenever they need to hear it. I am incredibly blessed by your strength and selfless choice. You have given me a gift that I’ll never be able to repay. I wish that I could fill the gaping hole in your heart the way that you have filled mine. The only way I can even begin to try is by promising you a few things: I promise to love these babies unconditionally and to teach them about love, life and where they come from. I promise that they’ll know where their strength and courage comes from and that they’ll always believe in your love for them. I promise that they’ll be safe and healthy and chase after life with an adventurous spirit. I promise to visit Haiti and to keep them engaged with the beauty, grace and hope that is their homeland. And I also promise, should they decide to seek you out one day, that we’ll do everything in our power to see that they find you.

They are our kids and you will always be their mom. Thank you is not enough for the gift that you have given me; I will spend my life pouring every ounce of my being into loving these beautiful babes you brought into this world. From now on, each Mother’s Day we will also celebrate and honor you, for making the ultimate sacrifice for our children.

Mesi Anpil Zanmi Mwen,

BJM