Collected Memories, a Mother’s Gift

Mother’s Day is fast approaching, are you ready?

I don’t know about you, but on a daily basis in my home, I’m surrounded by “treasures”, representing generations past, my grandparents and parents beloved possessions or collections, passed on to me.

In addition to the “treasures” themselves, I find that I’ve inherited the thrill of the hunt and enjoy curating collections of what I love. The joy they add to my home pays homage to the women before me, my mother and grandmothers.

This is the third year, (am I the only one counting?) that finds me without my mother, and I wondered if perhaps you can relate to that. The celebrations go on, of course, and I do “celebrate, and give thanks” for the mother I had, as well as for being a mother, myself.

With “Mom in mind”, she’s still at the center of my daily life, and on Mother’s Day I’ll choose to use all of her “favorites”, in the decor, colors chosen and the menu as well.

Because she’d like that.

And that’s the point of Mother’s Day, right?

How do you celebrate Mother’s Day, or do you?

I like to use the cherished dishes and linens from the past. I make sure that there’s room on the table for flowers, linens and dishes, I use it all, knowing that she /Mom would consider it lovely. I suggest using what YOU consider to be lovely.

Across my grandma’s apron, which I still have, I’ve displayed a photo-booth picture of my mother and myself at 6 weeks old. At the end of her 6-week maternity leave, she took me to work to show her co-workers and her boss her new baby girl, then promptly resigned, to stay at home with me. To celebrate, both of my parents, and myself, took photos to commemorate the day!

This year, I have the “things” in my house, I have the memories in my head, I smell the baking bread when I look at the apron, but my mother is no longer here.

I’m not the only child out there without their mother, in my case, both parents.

Did you catch that?!! I’m a wife, a mother, stepmother, and a grandmother, I’ve enjoyed years of wonderful Mother’s Days surrounded by my girls, my grandparents, parents and my husband. So why did I refer to myself as the “child”? Because I am.

I guess we always are.

If that is you, this Mother’s Day, you are not alone.

• So how do we honor someone without the flowers, or dinner? Perhaps a gravesite visit, or visiting by leafing through old family albums?

Better yet, we can always “mother” someone else, one who is lonely, hurting or missing their loved ones. Someone who simply needs a “hello” or a quick visit or phone call, to know that they are still noticed, thought of, and valued.

That they are NOT forgotten.

Since that is what my grandmothers and my mother taught me, I’m certain that is what she would want this year! And would expect me to do!!!

What would your mother want you to do today, what would please her?

That’s how I’ll celebrate Mother’s Day this year, and probably from here on…

xx,