Prayer for My Mother Dear God, Now that I am no longer young, I have friends whose mothers have passed away.I have heard these sons and daughters say they never fully appreciated their mothers until it was too late to tell them. I am blessed with the dear mother who is still alive.I appreciate her more each day. My mother does not change, but I do.As I grow older and wiser, I realize what an extraordinary person she is.How sad that I am unable to speak these words in her presence, but they flow easily from my pen. How does a daughter begin to thank her mother for life itself? For the love, patience and just plain hard work that go into raising a child? For running after a toddler  , for understanding a moody teenager, for tolerating a college student who knows everything? For waiting for the day when a daughter realizes what her mother really is? How does a grown woman thank for a mother for continuing to be a mother? For being ready with advice when asked or remaining silent when it is most appreciated? For not saying:"! told you so", when she could have voiced these words dozens of times? For being essentially herself-loving, thoughtful, patient, and forgiving? I don't know how, dear God, except to bless her as richly as she deserves  and to help me live up to the example she has set.I pray that I will look as good in the eyes of my children as my mother looks in mine A daughter The author's mother has all the following fine qualities except   _  .
devotion forgiveness consideration self-protectiveness