As mom’s we sacrifice so much for our kids and a lot of the time it feels like our sacrifices go unnoticed, so I want to tell you guys a story.
On Mother’s Day I had a few hours to myself, so I decided I would spend that time getting a pedicure and browsing target. While I was getting my pedicure, a lady and her teenage daughter came in and I overheard her conversation with the nail tech. It went as follows:
Nail Tech- “How can we help you?”
Mom- “My daughter would like a full set.”
Nail tech- “You don’t want a pedicure?”
Mom- “I was going to get one, but I just have so many bills right now and I don’t have enough money.”
My heart broke for her. Here is a mom coming to nail salon, ON MOTHER’S DAY, and yet she’s still putting her wants aside. So I sat there for a minute thinking about how sad I felt for this woman. She looked so exhausted and stressed on a day that was supposed to be relaxing for her, so I turned to my nail tech and said, “Can you have someone give that lady a pedicure and I’ll pay for it?” and the nail tech said, “Absolutely.” So I walked over to the lady and here’s how our conversation went:
Me- “Ma’am! I overheard you say that you don’t have enough money to get a pedicure for yourself, so I went ahead and paid for one for you.”
The lady- “I’m just so broke right now.”
Me- “It’s okay. It’s Mother’s Day and you deserve a pedicure.”
The lady- (With tear filled eyes) “Thank you so much.” and then she hugged me.
Me- “Happy Mother’s Day!”
Our conversation went well, but I should’ve said so much more. I should’ve said, “I see you. I see you sacrificing something for yourself to give your daughter what she wants, for what I’m sure isn’t the first time. I see you putting yourself last again. I see you stressed and exhausted worrying about how you’re going to pay your bills this month, yet you’re still making sure your daughter is happy. I see you. And what I see tells me that even though you’re having financial struggles, you are a phenomenal mother. You are putting her wants above your own which is exactly what a great mother does.”
Now the point of this post isn’t to brag about what I did, it’s about that mother. She brought her daughter into the nail salon to get her nails done on a day that should’ve been all about her, even though she couldn’t afford to pay for both of them. I noticed her sacrifice, but no one else in her life would have because they weren’t there. There are so many things that us moms (and dads too) give up for our kids and no one even notices. And I get that that’s our job as parents, but feeling appreciated sometimes can go a long way. So the next time you see a mom that’s stressed and exhausted, you don’t have to buy her a pedicure, but tell her she’s doing a great job and give her a hug. A little understanding, encouragement, and acknowledgement can go such a long way and completely turn around someone’s day.
And if the lady I seen at that nail salon sees this somehow, I hope your daughter can see what an extraordinary mother she has. You’re doing a great job.
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