THE TRIBUTE

Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.  Exodus 20:12 (NIV)

A tribute is a written expression of love and heartfelt gratitude to someone who has made a powerful impact in our lives. Many people may come to mind, but as we approach Mother's Day and Father's Day, my thoughts naturally gravitate toward my parents. My written tribute was one of the most treasured gifts they received.

Whatever our circumstances—perhaps our relationship with our parents is strained or we've had a less than ideal upbringing—we can still write a tribute. Whether or not we choose to present it to them, we may find writing a tribute provides us with an essential outlet to express our feelings. As a result, we may experience the gift of healing, forgiveness and reconciliation.

Even if our parents have passed away, we may want to write a tribute to honor their memory and share their legacy with our children and grandchildren.

Through the eyes of a child, we sometimes see our parents as infallible—larger than life. They are often our biggest cheerleaders . . . encouraging us to dream big and grow to reach our maximum potential. Generally, it is not until we become older, and perhaps become parents ourselves, that we are able to fully appreciate their sacrifices, struggles and shortcomings.

Although my parents, like all of us, were flawed, they offered their best. I never doubted their love for me. One of my final acts in honoring my mother's life was reading my tribute at her funeral.

Words vanish as they are spoken, but written words remain . . .

Lord, please provide us with meaningful words to write a tribute to honor our parents. 

© 2017 Amy A. Verzi