Sarah Stultz is the managing editor of the Tribune. Her column appears every Tuesday.

“How was your day?” I asked my mom Monday evening as my son and I talked with her on the phone to wish her a happy birthday.

My mother lives in the state of Virginia where I grew up, but we talk on the phone typically once or twice a week. Monday was her special day, so I had to make sure to call her before it got too late.

In our first attempt to call, my mom was already on the phone, talking with my older sister who happened to call only moments before.

Landon and I attempted to sing part of the “Happy Birthday” song in our voice message, before I realized I was the only one singing and we cut it off mid-song and asked her to call us back.

A little while later my mom returned the call, and we talked for a few minutes.

Those of you who know my mom know that she is a kind-hearted woman who doesn’t have a mean bone in her body. Growing up, I learned a lot from her example. I can remember going with her and my two sisters to visit a few of the elderly women from our church. 

I remember her dedication to her family and how much she cared for me and my sisters.

The love she showed — and continues to show — me and others she comes in contact with has made me want to become a better person and influenced me to care for others as I always saw her doing.

As a mother now myself, I sometimes encounter challenges with something related to our son. When thinking of how to resolve those challenges, I often find myself thinking, “How would Mom have handled this?”

Sometimes, I even give her a call if I need help with something. It’s nice to know she’s always there to help me out now, just like she was when I was a child, and I always appreciate her advice.

Though I wish we lived closer, it’s a comfort to know she’s only a phone call away.

Happy birthday, Mom. I wish we could have been there to celebrate with you.

I leave you with a quote from President Abraham Lincoln: “All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.”