Peter Wilson’s ‘Dear Mom’ a Simple, Powerful, Happy Cry

Dear Mom, Peter Wilson’s second poetic book about parents, spins a tale of an old man writing a letter to his mother. The letter focuses on the impact the author’s mother had throughout his life, from singing to him as a baby all the way to his life as a father.

Wilson’s simple lines (“But even so, I had you with me, in a special way, because you taught me how to be the man I am today”) deliver a deeper meaning of the relationship between mother and son.

My mother and I have a special relationship. While she may pluck at my strings of patience with her “motherly” advice and requests, in the end I find her to be a guide in many areas of life.

I recall the day my parents dropped me off at college quite vividly. It was a hot, steamy August afternoon in Bloomington, Ind., and I stood outside the circle of my dorm room as the ebb and flow of anxious and excited freshman swooned past me. My dad gave me a hug and whispered, “Good luck, son. I’m proud of you.” My mother’s eyes rained tears of happiness, joy, sadness and a number of emotions I probably couldn’t fathom or understand. They drove off and immediately the next stage of my life began.

As a parent of two, I am beyond fortunate to have her close enough to be a consistent babysitter which has brought her closer to me, my wife and certainly my children. In fact, whenever my mother is around my kids, my daughter wants nothing to do with anyone except her. In addition to her being a beloved “Nana” to my children, my mother continues to instill confidence and advice on my parenting life daily. That is quite special.

Wilson’s journey through his life with his own mother emulates many of ours. From the trials and tribulations of growing up, followed by the utter chaos of parenthood we dads now face everyday, his letter quips a few of his mother’s own quotes. For example, he writes:

When I’d worry about the future; money, house and cars,
You’d say, ‘Life’s a journey, not a destination — what’s important is who you are.

Simple, powerful and sensible.

Illustrated by Carol Matsuyama, Dear Mom writes of a son’s love for his mother throughout the years. It’s a short read but one that our moms would absolutely adore to the point of crying with happiness knowing what a special place they hold in our hearts … even if they still tell us we don’t eat enough vegetables.