Our Mother Kept a Garden

Our Mother kept a garden.
A garden of the heart;
She planted all the good things,
That gave our lives their start.
She turned us to the sunshine,
And encouraged us to dream:
Fostering and nurturing
The seeds of self-esteem.
And when the winds and rain came,
She protected us enough;
But not too much because she knew
We would stand up strong and tough.
Her constant good example,
Always taught us right from wrong;
Markers for our pathway that will last a lifetime long.
We are our Mother's garden,
We are her legacy.
And I hope today she feels the love,
Reflected back from us.