Johnny Cash Blog

Like My Mother Does

    

At our favorite place, the beach, my
mother and I smile wide for the camera.

"Goodnight Ellebelle, I love you!" ensured my Mom as she ended the phone call. I took a long, deep breath and thought to myself, "How lucky am I to be so loved? To have someone to call no matter the time of day?" Ever since I got my first cellphone in seventh grade my mom has been my favorite, and most frequent phone call. As soon as I sit down behind the wheel of my Jeep, before I put the car in drive, I call her. She is always at the top of my recent phone calls list. If I'm having a good day, I text her. If I'm having a bad day, I text her. Acting as my fairy god mother, she is capable of magically making my frown turn upside down. 

Julie Rowe, my mother, has a smile that can light up any room. Her unorthodox laugh is more contagious than the Flu. She says hello to strangers, can hold a conversation for one day straight, and attracts people like a picnic does ants. When you go to the grocery store with her, expect it to be a two hour trip rather than thirty minutes, as she has the talent to  talk anyones ear off. Kindness oozes out of every nook and cranny of her soul. 

  Holding hands with my mom and dad, we take the field 
 as my name is announced for softball senior night.

 

During autumn, she will eagerly play goalie for me as 

I bombard her with shots. In the winter time, we will shovel the snow off of the driveway and she will rebound the basketball for me so I can perfect my free throw. On a rainy spring day, we will play catch with a softball. At every sporting event, I look into the stands and she is always there. Well, she is not just there... she claps, cheers, and watches every second of every game with laser focus. I cannot remember a sporting event she has missed throughout my athletic career. Academically, she held me accountable and expected straight A's. In elementary school, she began instilling effective study habits into my daily schedule. Together, we would  practice for spelling tests, creating chants to remember how to spell tricky words. To this day, whenever I spell the word constitution I still sing to myself "C-O-N, S-T-I, T-U-T, I-O-N... con-sti-tu-tion!" As I got older, she would quiz me on my flashcards in preparation for a test and act as the audience when I practiced for a speech or presentation. One thing she has always encouraged is that "No matter what you do, do it with passion. Find a purpose, and give it your best effort. Doing something half heartedly is a waste of time." She leads by example, always trying her best to be a great mother, wife, and employee.

  

My mom smiles behind her mask and 
goggles, ready for a long day of work.

One day at work, she was locked in her office with four barren walls. Her arms were textured with goosebumps as she pecked away at the keyboard of her computer. The building she spends her days working at is filled with fumes of hand sanitizer and cleaning supplies. She is constantly surrounded by coughing, wheezing, sneezing, and hacking people,  patiently waiting to be saved from illness. My mother peeks at her watch and springs up from her chair like a jack in the box because it is time for her to go retrieve a patient from the waiting room. She struts down the empty hallway, smiling behind her mask, and calls out 'Lucy' as she stares into the crowd of droopy eyed patients. (I am using the name Lucy for story purposes only, as my mother would never reveal the name of a patient, breaking HIPPA law.)

A little woman, mirroring the image of Mrs.Claus, stumbles to her feet. Julie hustles towards her as if she is sprinting to first base, and offers her hand to Lucy. Lucy sighs in relief and clings onto my mothers outstretched arm. "Now Lucy, how are you doing today?" Julie crowed. 

"Well dear, I am doing better now that I have you to help me," croaked Lucy. Arms linked, Julie payed attention to and questioned Lucy throughout the entire maze of the doctors office until they reached the radiation room. My mother spoke in a clear, crisp voice, providing instructions to Lucy the entire time she was given a chest x-ray. She comforted Lucy with her welcoming and honest eyes, and aided her with her strong hands. After the procedure was done,  Lucy cackled "Thank you very much Julie. I will be on my way now." 

"It was my pleasure to help you today Lucy. Would you like me to walk you to your car?" offered Julie. Lucy stopped abruptly and began trembling as a single tear rolled down her rosy cheek. 

My dad, sister, and I surround the rock of
our family for a group photo before Prom.

"Oh honey, I would truly appreciate it. I just can't walk so well anymore," mumbled Lucy. My mom grabbed her hand ever so gently, and lead her to the parking lot swarming with speed demons. When they came upon a shiny, black punch buggy, Lucy proclaimed "You are the kindest person I have ever met, and the best X-Ray tech too!"

At the end of the day, I want to be able to stare into the mirror and look like my mom. Not because of her white as snow teeth, or her perfect tan complexion, or her stylish fashion sense. I want to look like her because of the size of her heart, the compassion she uses, and the positivity she radiates.