Loving, kind, sweet. These are all words used to define great mothers.

On this and every Mother’s Day, we celebrate our mothers, and the moments that define them.

One word that defines my mother, Kathleen, and something I will always love her for is her sacrifice.

Growing up, anything me and my bother Rodney needed, my mother would always work to make sure we had it, even if it meant sacrificing wants.

Never would we go hungry any night, or go to school cold.

The most recent example I can remember happened little under a year ago when I was preparing to make the biggest transition of my life.

When I was making the move to Selma to become a writer for the Times-Journal, I was woefully underprepared.

I underestimated just how hard moving was.

Last June, me and my mother drove up to Selma with a car full of my stuff, but upon arrival, we discovered that I was a couple hundred dollars short of the money I needed to meet the deposit for my apartment, not to mention I didn’t have the funds to pay any fees for utilities.

Headstrong, thinking I had complete control of the situation, I didn’t do all my research and was stumped on what to do when I actually made it into town, while also down on myself for the oversights.

Your average person would probably tell you “I told you so.”

But Kathleen didn’t scold me, she didn’t yell, and she didn’t panic.

She did what any great mother would do – she reassured me.

I remember her words to this day – “Don’t worry. You’re moving in today.”

Neither of us readily had the money needed at the time, but my mother went on to overdraw her account to make sure I got in my apartment that day.

Every day after that while I was trying to get on my feet with each paycheck, my mom would call and make sure I had what I needed and that I was doing okay, while also making the occasional account deposit and asking for nothing in return, only that I keep pursuing my dreams.

She took on the task of temporary financial uncertainty so I could make the biggest move of my life.

But a great mother’s love goes well beyond money.

I’m not afraid to admit my mother is my best friend, always offering an ear to listen and a shoulder to lean on.

Some people might regard calls from mom as smothering, but I welcome it every time my phone blares her ringtone (Boyz II Men’s ‘A song for Mama’).

Every time, every single day she calls is just another reassurance that the person I care about most is always thinking about me and my well-being.

So for this Mother’s Day, I think everyone should be grateful for the sacrifices and the little things mom has done for them.

I know I am.

I love you, mom.

Happy Mother’s Day.