Madre mía. No words that I write can properly express what you mean to me and to our family. You are the embodiment of sacrifice and unconditional love. To be a woman in today’s world is a difficult enough task. To be an Immigrant Woman, in a new country, raising 3 boys while living undocumented seems impossible. It’s difficult to imagine how one could pull it off. But I believe the simple answer is that you did it through Love. Love for your children. Love that allowed you to sacrifice your own hopes & aspirations to ensure that your sons could one day pursue their own. Love that would separate you from home and family, guiding you thousands of miles north to a strange new land.
You’ve endured so much on this journey. Still, your love has never waivered. Neither has your strength. Many would have broken after a day in your shoes. I wish that things were easier for you and that you would have had more time to explore your youth and your interests. I wish that being strong wasn’t always a requirement and you could enjoy the peace and freedom that you deserve. I cannot take away the pain and I cannot give the time back, but I can do my best to hold true to the values you’ve instilled in me and make the most of the opportunities that you provided for your children. This rose could not have grown from concrete had the path not been cleared by the rose that came before. None of this is possible without you, and the world will know your story. Wherever I go, I will hold you as close to my heart as you’ve held me, y siempre voy a ser el hijo de mi mamá.
