As a mother, sometimes you have to sacrifice things that you love for your children. Sometimes, it may be as simple as the delicious leftovers from your night out at your favorite restaurant. Sometimes, it may be as serious as giving up countless nights of sleep when you’re child is sick and you must sleep on their floor to make sure you are there if they have an asthma attack.
And sometimes, it’s giving up a date night with your husband AND a really great seat at a Laker game because you know this could be your sons last chance to see his sports hero, Kobe Bryant, play in a Laker uniform.
As a life long Laker fan and a Kobe Bryant fan (Kobe haters you can shutup now because I'm tired of hearing you talk already. Ok? Thanks!) it hurt. It really did. But, the smile that swept over his face when I told him that, with his big brother's blessing ("I won't be mad if Dad takes him, Mom. I know how much it would mean to him!), I was going to give him my ticket and let him take my place at the game melted away any disappointment that I felt about it.
I may never get a free ticket like that ever again, I may never get to see Kobe play as a Laker ever again. I may never get a damn night alone with my husband ever again. But I most certainly will always remember how tightly my son hugged me as I handed him the ticket and said “have fun, boy. And never forget how much your mama loves you.”
(And I promise never to let him forget because, damn! I wanted to go to that game.)
Being a mama is tough. It was a very difficult choice to have to make. As a lifelong Laker's fan myself, I'm not too sure I could have done it.
I also like Kobe.