She was so big to me as to block out the very sun
Indeed, she was sun and moon to me
And ocean, too, for the first nine months
She could frighten, amaze, love and protect me
She was, is and always shall be a powerful woman
To me
Even though, at the end
She was
frail
calm
quiet
aloof
impatient
Many people thought my relationship with my mother was odd
But we seemed to make it work
Having gone through the drama and difficulty of power struggle
We settled, finally, into a respectful distance
In which we corresponded infrequently and often by letter
But it worked for us
Me, the little boy who became a man
With all she taught me:
Respect for women
Emotional combat
Tough love
Farewell lady
Mother
Protector
Teacher
Posessor of legendary stubbornness
Is it any wonder I became the son you loved and respected
From a distance?
