One day in my early 20's I was visiting with my mother and as scheduled I pulled up the "blame train" and started to unload onto her all the reason I felt she had failed me in my childhood. It was thick with anger and resentment. The usual ritual was that she would apologize and I would be indignant.

But this day was different and her words would free me and humble me to my core.

She took an exasperated breath,
paused
and then spoke to me gently.

"Love, if I could go back and do it all differently I would...
but all I can tell you is this 

I did the best I could,

with what I knew,

at the time."

And it was true

she had...

I could see it all.

The love,

the sacrifice,

the heartache.

She was beautiful and perfectly human and she had loved me with everything she had...