I never thought I would hear my children say that to me.

My bond with my mother flourished and grew stronger over time. I would frequently fly her to Atlanta, treating her to shopping sprees, fine dining, and luxurious spa days. You name it, we did it! This delighted my children as well, as they got to spend more time with their grandmother. As I grew closer to mother, I noticed that some of my siblings continued to hold her past against her. While I understood their perspective, I believed that the relationship I desired with my mother was far more valuable than any pain from the past.

Every morning, she would call me as soon as she woke up just to say good morning. I would greet her with a playful, "Hey girl, what are you up to?" She would then outline her plans for the day, and I would update her on my work. We talked so frequently that it felt like she was right here with me. She and her girlfriends would gather at her house to discuss and interpret scripture. Whenever they encountered a challenging passage, she would confidently declare, "Don't worry, I'll call my daughter. She'll explain it to us." The fact that I could connect with my mother both as her daughter and on a spiritual level left me in awe. The woman I once knew had transformed into someone entirely new, and I couldn't have been prouder to know her.

One day, while we were on the phone, laughing and joking as we often did, I playfully asked, "Girl, why did you have so many children?" She burst into laughter and replied, "Chile, that's just what we did back then." I said, "What? Have sex? We're still doing that, girl! We just aren't getting pregnant every day." Our laughter filled the air, and at that moment, I couldn't help but express my feelings. "Mother, you are not just my mother, but also one of my dearest friends. I love you." She cried and said, "I never thought I would hear one of my children say that to me."

We did it! I got my mother and she experienced one of her children choosing to love her in a way she never imagined. My love for her wasn't simply because she was my mother, but because I wanted us both to experience the mother-daughter relationship that the horrors of the streets and drug addiction had stolen.