Today we honor moms here and now and those who have passed away. After all, your mom is your mother from now until eternity.
Let’s not forget the moms with four-legged children. They may not have children, but if you have a conversation with them about their dogs or cats, you’d not know the difference. These moms love their precious animals as if they birthed the pets themselves.
Mother’s Day has always been a special day for me. I always took my time and was very thoughtful when it came time to get my mom something special and memorable. The planning was always fun, yet quite challenging. Mom was the type of person who liked things just so and getting her something she loved was always so satisfying.
The sight of delight on her face on Mother’s Day made the time and effort worth it.
I usually labored twice as much to find the right card for Mom. I’d stand in the card aisle reading and reading to find one that matched my feelings and thoughts. I always made her read the card out loud just to see her reaction.
Mom was big on receiving a card … she always felt it was the least one could do to celebrate an occasion. Card giving is one of my biggest weak points, though. I have the best-laid intentions to drop someone a birthday card, a card of congratulations, an inspirational card or even a bereavement card, but I fail over and over again.
My mother was right about receiving a card. If you didn’t figure it out by now, moms are usually right. Hopefully, I will rectify my shortcoming about card giving one day, knowing my mom would be proud.
One thing I do know for sure — while our moms our alive, we take for granted they will be around forever and don’t think about the day they will be gone. When our moms are gone, there’s always the “I should have” or “I could have” and the sad fact is, it’s too late. All we want is to have them back one more week, one more day, even one more minute just to tell them how much we love them and miss them.
Maybe we get too caught up in our own lives, often leaving our parents in the background (well at least until we need a babysitter or a ride from the service station).
I’m not faulting my children; they see their mother every day, but trying to change the mindset of all of us to hold our mom and dad in a way to make us appreciate them more or holding them closer to our hearts on a daily basis is something we should all work on.
Now that both of my parents are gone, I easily get jealous of those who still have a parent or parents still in their lives. That’s selfish.
Mom is gone just a bit over three years now and it’s still stings. But I know I’m not alone.
I’m now without parents and grandparents and I find myself constantly thinking of them all and quoting them or wondering what they would be thinking or doing if they were still alive.
My dad passed away 22 years ago in his mid-60s and I never did get the chance to see him grow old. Mom was halfway to 89 when she passed. Imagining what her life would have been with Dad for those 22 extra years is something I think of from time-to-time.
Mom had it tough, to say the least. She was the daughter of Italian immigrants who spoke very little English. She lived in two different worlds … the world of English and the world of Italian, mixing the two with ease. Heck, I have trouble with English, let alone trying to converse in two different languages. I was always envious of mom knowing two different languages.
Her dad died when she was very young, leaving her mother living in a different country, speaking a different language with no education. Saying the people of my mother’s generation and my grandmother’s generation were some of the strongest people you’d ever know is a huge understatement. I believe, even with the conveniences and lifestyles we have today, we’d not be able to survive what they did.
Even though Mom was a high school dropout due to poor economic conditions in her family, she was so smart — street smart, if you will. She had great common sense and she used the wisdom of her own mother to survive and make things happen.
My mother is I and I am my mother. She gave me life and what I have is what I owe to her. She is missed every single day. To those lucky enough to have a mom, give her an extra hug and kiss today.
Quote of the week
“Children desperately need to know – and to hear in ways they understand and remember – that they’re loved and valued by mom and dad.” – Paul Smally
Thought of the week
“It’s a sad commentary of our times when our young must seek advice and counsel from “Dear Abby” instead of going to Mom and Dad.” – Abigail Van Buren, Dear Abby columnist
Bumper sticker
“Mom and apple pie.” – Americana reference
