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 generations of “treasures”, all representing memories of loved one’s past, and present.

My mother’s mother didn’t like “old things”, referring to antiques as someone’s junk, my father’s mother collected all of the Depression glass glassware and entire sets of dishes, because they were “pretty”. Funny thing is, I never saw her use those dishes, she enjoyed knowing that they belonged to her, and she could use them whenever she wanted. It stands to reason that the love of the hunt for the worn, old and storied, and the appreciation for beauty and “pretty,” flows deep in my veins, inherited from wonderful women.

With Mother’s Day coming so soon, I wondered what you do to celebrate?

This year, and last, finds me without my mother, and I wondered if perhaps you can relate to that as well. The celebrations go on, of course, and I do “celebrate, or give thanks” for the mother I had, as well as for being a mother, myself.

So, I am curious, if you cook or decorate with “Mom in mind”, like we did when we were children, drawing a picture of flowers, in her favorite color….a gift tail0r-made for Mom.

Do you decorate with her favorite flowers, or like I do with cherished dishes or linens from your past? Actually, there is room on the table for flowers, linens and dishes, use it all, whatever your mother, or your family, or 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, gravesite visit, or visiting by leafing through old family albums?

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, though 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 we celebrate Mother’s Day this year, and probably from here on…

xx,