We’re Not Crying; We Just Have Frogs In Our Throats

I came out to my mom as gay about two years ago. As a Muslim woman, obviously, she wasn’t too happy about it. She told me she was disappointed in me, and at one point, she even told me she would never love me in the same way she once did.

Recently, my boyfriend and I celebrated our one-year anniversary. I had no idea what to get him as a present, and I guess my mom overheard me on the phone with my friend while I was talking about it. The morning of our anniversary, she called me downstairs. On the table was a little box from [Pet Store].

Me: “Is that a [Pet Store] box? What did you get?”

Mom: “It’s a frog for [Boyfriend]! So he can add him to his collection! They said his name is Big Daddy. Isn’t that funny?”

My boyfriend has a big terrarium in his room where he keeps four frogs. He loves his frogs more than anything.

Me: “That’s cute, but why’d you get him a frog?”

Mom: “It’s for you to give to him; you need a present!”

That particular morning changed my entire view of people, especially family. There will be times when you feel as if they don’t love you, that you let them down, and that you can never gain that love back. But let some time pass, and you will both understand that love conquers all.

At the end of the day, my mother is still my mother. And she loves me. And I love her. And my boyfriend loved Big Daddy.