She rolls her eyes and sighs.

You know what it means.

Disappointment, disapproval. Really, just being dissed.

She is you mother. You love her. She made sacrifices to raise you. She did the best she could. For the most part, you have a good relationship.

But your damn siblings have the most successful careers ever, and you are the wild child. The weird one. Everything you do is so out there. The opinions that you share are unusual.

You can take it.

Or, you can perform a miracle.

I was taking it, one day, when it hit me.  She taught me everything I know. She brought me up.

“You raised me.” I said. Simple. To the point. And stated in a polite and matter-of-fact tone, followed by a smile.

She was speechless. A confused look came over her face. She stared off into space for a while and I could tell her brain was working. She was actually thinking about this, and probably trying to pin point and recollect some time period where she went wrong.

I said this several more times at later dates, any time she got all up in my grizzle about something. “You raised me.” Simply stated.

Now I can proudly say that my mother never nags me. Not anymore.Genius.

P.S. Funny movie quote: “Even people who hate their mothers love their mothers.” Kate in ‘French Kiss.’

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