Letter to My Mother on her 70th Birthday

A letter to my Mother on her 70th birthday...we decided to challenge what being 70 is all about!

Dear Mom,

Today is your 70th Birthday.

I wanted to buy you something special, but there was nothing that I could find for you that is worth more than…TIME.

So I give you my TIME today, to spend time with you, to sit and listen, really listen, about the adventures you had when you were younger. When you could dance, and sing and be carefree without limits or being labelled as ‘too old’.

So you and I came up with a plan: To challenge the stereotype that 70 is ‘too old’.  

70 is a wonderful age. It looks well on you. Yes you can still be sexy and beautiful and funny and crazy and wild at 70. Who says you can’t? You taught me that I am me and me is good, and fun and laughter is for everyone at 12, and 30 and 70!

You said you wanted to be a movie star. Well you are! With your pretty pink dress and sparkly jewelry. Every movie star deserves their own fun cake smash at 70! I’m glad you could be extra-glamorous today!

You said you wished you could dance around again, being limited now, as age catches up with us. More and more you speak to me about your childhood years. Those times you danced and sang and skipped in the wild forests of northern Ontario, where you grew up after immigrating to Canada from Italy at age 7. I can hear it in your voice, that you miss those days. That your heart still wants to sing and dance like no one is watching, but life challenges us and sometimes makes us feel too old.
 
But we defeated that today. Hey, look at you, Mom, dancing away in the woods, at S-E-V-E-N-T-Y !!! I don’t think I have seen you giggle this much in a long time! I’m glad to have had this TIME to see you laugh, really laugh and smile and be the fun, wild child, even for just one day.

Celebrating you today is special. I’m glad we could re-live those carefree, adventurous moments like when you were a child. Did I ever tell you I’m so proud of you Mom, for being the strong mother after dad passed away when I was only 12? You truly are a Super Mom. Thank you for instilling in me your wonderful traits of patience, perseverance and most importantly compassion.

Today is your birthday. Thank you for proving to be a wonderful example of a kind, beautiful and confident woman.

Today is your day. Did I tell you how well 70 looks on you? Cheers to being a movie star today, a glamour girl and for breaking the rules and showing us that being 70 is about being you, confident and cool.

Happy 70th Birthday! You’re beautiful Mom. <3

With Love, Cecilia

XO