The curse my momma blessed me with*

Happy Mother's Day! I’ve enjoyed a nice day that included church and lunch with my in-laws. Best of all, I got lots of love and appreciation – and presents! – from my guys.

My husband "hid" my gifts on my desk. Spoiler alert: I'm also getting a plant, if his reminder note is to be believed.

So, happy Mother’s Day to all the ladies out there who serve as a parent, grandparent, guardian, role model and caregiver. May you be blessed in the ways you nurture and cultivate good in this world.

My own mother? She cursed me.

Beautiful? Yes. Magical? Maybe.

You see, when my husband and I were just a young married couple, she told us – me specifically, but he was standing there – “I hope when you have children, they look like him … but act like you.”

Now, it’s possible that at the time she placed this curse upon me, I may or may not have been sassing her, or running my mouth, or otherwise being a smartass. And it’s possible, that my handsome husband just stood there silently, politely, sweetly.

Had I not known her to have been such a devout and faithful Christian, I would have sworn she was a witch, as time has proven her powers to be positively occult.

Yes, it’s true: I am the mother of a handsome smartass. He looks like his dad. And acts like me.

My 14-year-old is never disrespectful (nor was I to my mother), but he is quick witted and sharp with a comeback. He is a super funny guy, with a dry sense of humor, and he often cracks me up.

And he sometimes exasperates me. Only sometimes. And not for very long.

It’s hard to get mad because he’s so cute.

That’s the genius of this curse, isn’t it?

As I exhale slowly, trying to be patient with him, I am pulled back in time 30 years to see my own mother doing the same with me. She would breathe deeply, close her eyes for a few seconds, and, if she opened them with a smile, I was in the clear. If she was frowning … oh boy. I find myself doing the same - except my eyes tend to cross.

Truth be told, my mother’s “curse” has turned out to be a blessing, as it has allowed me to see the world from a point of view that was once hers. I have learned so much since becoming a mother, not just about parenting my own child, but also about being my mother’s child. I gained a perspective about my mom; an appreciation for her journey as a parent.

I don’t think my mom wanted me to suffer (well, maybe a little); she just wanted some recognition. And so I thank her for blessing me with this “curse” she placed on me many years ago. I will follow her example of patience, kindness, stern correction if warranted, and unconditional love. And I will set that same example for my son.

My mother left this world nearly 12 years ago. I am sad she didn’t get to see her grandson grow into such a handsome young man of fine character. But I am heartened – even if I appear to be shaking my head - each time he cracks a joke, raises an eyebrow, or zings, because that’s the curse my momma blessed me with.

*Don’t nail me for ending a sentence or title with a preposition, ok? Thanks.