From Nate for my scrapbook

They have no monetary value: Boxes filled with papers, drawings, clippings, special mementos of a child’s growth, accomplishments and tokens of love. My grandmother spent many hours filling up my father’s and uncle’s baby books: Recording her twin son’s childhood. The book reflects her pride and love. I keep it all because I hate to throw away my grandmother’s many loving hours of work.
Besides she kept a crayoned drawing I made with bits of ribbon pasted all over it in my bedroom long after I realized it was not a fantastic work of art. It was just something I had made and given to her.
Sorting through my mother’s papers uncovered cards we had sent her, clippings of our school events, graduation announcements and the poems and essays I had written to give her on Mother’s Day.
Last week I spent hours copying and preparing elementary students’ short essays on why their mom is special. Overwhelmed with the response and time required to get in the paper, I wrote about that experience last week. As always I sent an electronic copy of my column to family and friends across the United States. (Interested family members, without access to a computer modem, will get a hard copy when I take time to sit down and address individual envelopes.) Most of the time the only way I know they read my columns is when I lapse and fail to send them a copy.
Last week’s column inspired one of my children to give me the best Mother’s Day gift: The following unexpected letter.
Mom, I guess that this is too late for your paper, but I thought you would like to see this.
My mom is special because of many reasons:
Reason No. 5: She is there for me.
Examples: When I was in trouble in high school, when I was having relationship problems in college, when I thought I was not going to mentally or emotionally handle classes in college. When my finances were a little screwy. (All these times and more she was there for me.)
Reason No. 4: She helped me see where I needed to be.
Examples: See previous examples and add her sage wisdom to her listening ear. Plus, add all the websites she sent me to.
Reason No. 3: She married my dad.
Explanation: Well, I just wouldn’t be around without that. Besides, Dad needed somebody to love, too.
Reason No. 2: She encouraged me.
Examples: Third-grade homework checks. Fourth-grade math sheets (and the 5-star sundae from Baskin Robbins.) The camera for getting an A in chemistry, general encouragement for other goals such as science fair, jobs and school.
Reason No. 1: She loves me.
Examples: Oh, come on. If you can’t see it now, you’re not gonna get it. Happy Mother’s Day, Mom.
I cut and pasted the letter into the word processing program and printed out a copy. Years from now he will find the yellowed page stuck in a box and realize how much it meant to me.