Mother’s Day – Steph

If you ask anyone to describe my mom, 9 times out of 10 they will use some kind of combination of “meticulous, organized, helpful and an incredible cook”. It’s no surprise that a picture I’d choose of my mom shows her in one of her elements – helping my boyfriend (now husband) get ready for my graduation. I still clearly remember my boyfriend showing up at our house on my grad day. I was upstairs getting ready for my big reveal and I could hear my mom tell him he looked so handsome, but also “wouldn’t he like a little help fixing up all those details”? And so I stayed in my room for another ten minutes, waiting for my big reveal while she helped him meet “the Ang Standards”. She fixed his tie, trimmed loose threads off his button holes and cut open his jacket pockets. I knew that soon it would be my turn for her to focus on me and help with all the little meticulous details that I would surely miss. I’d go into my grad celebrations with a perfect dress, not a hair out of place and plans going exactly how they should. All thanks to the “Ang Standards”.

It is just one memory of a lifetime of memories of my mom using her gifts and passions to help others. I have countless memories of my mom showing up to every sporting event (seriously every one. She never missed a game!) with her large cooler in tow. Filled to the brim with snacks so that I could eat. All my teammates knew that Ang’s blue cooler was free game and any hungry person could help themselves. Some tournaments it would feel like the modern version of the miracle of the seven loaves and fish. Although it wasn’t a crowd of 4000, Ang still managed to feed an entire hungry volleyball or baseball team on countless occasions. All out of one cooler.

My entire life, my mom has ensured that things were always in place, lives always ran smoothly, bellies were full and no one ever felt forgotten. That is what the true “Ang Standards” are. I didn’t inherit her meticulous organization skills or her gifts in the kitchen but she taught me to use my own gifts to better the lives of those around me – however that may look. I can speak from personal experience and can confirm that the world is a more organized and well-fed place thanks to Ang!

 

Written by Steph Letkeman – Blogger