Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Every Little Thing by April Jeppson

I just got off the phone with my mother. I actually rarely refer to her as my mother; she’s my mom or “Ma” if I’m talking to her. The word mother just feels so formal. In fact whenever I use that word, it is always accompanied with a British accent.

As a teenager I remember a few of my friends calling their parents by their first names and it shocked me. They might as well have been cursing in church as far as I was concerned. I don’t know if they used their parents names while actually talking to them or just when they were talking about them, but either way, it made me wildly uncomfortable.

I digress.

I just got done talking with my mom and I feel … I don’t know … better. We chat almost daily, and usually it’s when I’m driving from one place to another.

This allows us five to 15 minutes to catch each other up on our day. Most of the time, I feel like I’m cutting the conversation short. I hate that. It’s still nice to talk, but I don’t like ending things before they are complete.

This morning I took a detour and extended my route. Then I continued our conversation in my office and let it run its natural course. When we finally parted ways, I hung up the phone feeling content. For the first time in awhile, my cup has been filled to the brim. It’s hard to articulate, but I simply feel better.

I apparently needed my momma time. Oh yes, that’s another name I use for her. I know I’ve mentioned this before, but being an adult can be hard.

Especially when you’re tasked with extra adulty things like raising children, working and paying bills.

I have these moments when I’m dealing with a situation, and I’ll have a flashback of a story my mom shared with me when I was younger. I’ll call her up, ask questions and see if I can learn from her experiences. No need to repeat someone else’s mistakes if I can avoid it.

We laugh about how every workplace seems to have a person like this or that. Or how every toddler goes through a stage where they act a certain way. It’s reassuring to know that someone else can relate to my situation. It’s comforting to know that she made it through all of it and now can enjoy winters in a warmer climate.

It’s not as warm as it was, but it’s definitely not as cold as it could be. Some days are going to be easier than others. Other, hopefully rare days, are just going to suck. On days like today, I’m extra grateful for these conversations with my momma. She has the ability to ground me and lift me up at the same time. If you have anyone in your life like that, hold them close and chat them up often.

Albert Lean April Jeppson is a wife, mom, coach and encourager of dreams. Her column appears every Saturday.