What My Mom Passed On

by Sarah Offenberg

“My mom taught me to treat others with love, and to help out whenever you can.”

Growing up, I never really hated the idea of getting sick. Getting a cold was no big deal because whenever I would get sick with a cold or have to stay home from school, my mom was always there to look after me. She would tell me to rest and to just do something that would make me feel better, like watching my favorite show, or movie. She made sure that I was at ease and was happy so I wasn't just sitting home bored, and sad, and sick all day. She used to even make me a care basket. It was filled with tissues, cough drops, little snacks that I liked, and even a bell so that if I needed her, I could just ring the bell and she would come right to me. I remember… watching Nickelodeon and Disney Channel with my blanket, holding my care basket, all warm and cozy. My mom would even bring me tea with lemon and honey just to help soothe me.

I was always so thankful, and I really, really appreciated that I had a mom who took the time out of her day to make me feel better, even when she had other things to do. I… vividly remember my mom telling me that her mom used to do the same thing for her when she was younger and would get sick, and she was just really happy that she could do the same for her daughter.

About a year or two ago, my mom got into an accident where she was hit by a car. She's fine now, but at the time, it was a super long and difficult healing process for her, and it was ultimately extremely hard on our whole family. For a while, she couldn't walk, let alone work. She spent a super long amount of time just lying in bed trying to get better. I hated seeing my mom like that, and I tried my best to keep her happy. During that time, I really did try my best to show her the same care that she showed me. I would bring food to her, I made her a care basket of her own, which included a bell as well, and I would help her walk places.

My mom taught me to treat others with love, and to help out whenever you can. I have always enjoyed taking care of other people, whether it be cooking for someone or just helping out in a way that I can. And whenever anyone in my family gets sick, whether it be my dad, or my brother, or my mom, I always try my best to… show them a lot of care and just try to help out with them to make them feel better. My mom is one of the most caring people I know, and I hope that I have inherited that from her.