TRIBUTES TO MOTHERS

Mother's day is about remembering and honoring. It is a time to think about the good things and soul one's mother had. It is a time to buff up a dozen memories of things you remember. (I am talking to myself here--but you can listen if you wish).

It is knowing, in adult hood she was afraid of horses and storms.

It is knowing that she showed her care by house work and ironing for eight hours on Tuesdays. And cooking three meals a day, every day, day in and out.

It is knowing that she wanted her kids safe and healthy and offered vitamins, minerals, and cod liver oil in the winter. And didn't want us to get hurt doing something stupid.

It is knowing there were things she wanted done a certain way and elected to do them herself rather than be a teacher. Except of course, when it came to hanging the clothes on the line when the underwear were to be hung in the center and the crotches were all supposed to point in the same direction. :)

It is knowing that doing the dishes with her every night was important to her because that is the only time we talked although we didn't talk about major issues.

It is knowing that she was an intelligent lady with a love to read as well as a sense of fashion and a gift to dress to the nines even to go to the market. Yet in all of that, she was not putting on airs. It was just the way she did it.

It is knowing that, if she was working on a seed picture, she would do one seed at a time. That is the same seed picture I would put glue where all the same seeds went dump on the seeds, wait until they dried, and shake off the rest.

You may be really different than your child. You may be the one seed at a time person in a world where your child can find a better, faster way to get things done. You may be the faster, easier way and your child is the read every direction, identify every part in the box before assembling.

Your mother may have sewn. She may have cut out the pieces and used a tool to mark where to sew. Or she may have been someone who just eye balled it. Maybe she read the pattern through and through or maybe she did it trial and error.

What I have learned is simple: The important thing is, in the end, you rub off on each other and communicate enough to know where each of you are at. If you are asked something, try to come out of your den and tell what what you child needs to know. If you don't know the answer, try to find the answer together.

Praise them for what they are and expect them to do the same back to you.

Hugs work.

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