This is my first Mother's Day without a mom. That led me to read a few past Mother's Day posts and to bring back a memory or two of Mom. As I think of Mom, there's not one memorable event, but instead many memorable behaviors that made my mom such a strong and loving influence in my life.
My mom loved to sing, and during car rides or while cleaning the house, she was often singing. Mom spent a lot of time cooking and baking too. She peeled the apples with a giant knife and as she peeled, we'd often stand by eating the crunchy apple skins. Shopping was one of Mom's favorite pasttimes and I accompanied her often on her shopping trips downtown, at malls, and in little stores throughout Worcester county.
Mom read the paper every morning and often commented on the stories. She'd try to figure out what caused a crime or hardship, and share the lessons that could be culled from those stories. As a little girl, I often accompanied mom on walks around the neighborhood or to nearby playgrounds and parks. Sometimes she would give me a nickel or quarter and ask me to walk down to the corner store to buy her a chocolate bar in the late afternoon. This was when our house was full of little children and babies.
One of the funniest memories of Mom was during my elementary school years. My sister, brother, and I, like all the students at the school, walked home for lunch. Mom was low on groceries and had run out of milk so she fed us cereal with baby formula for lunch. We knew right away that it was not milk and ultimately had a good laugh.
Mom loved social occassions of any kind, and she always welcomed our friends to our little green house. We played all over the house including the basement playroom, den, upstairs eves, bedrooms, living room, dining room, kitchen, and yard. The house was always a hub of activity with multiple groups of children and Mom's friends too.
As we grew older, Mom was our chauffer who drove us to the YMCA weekly for afterschool fun and swimming. Fortunately we lived in a small neighborhood where we could walk to many afterschool activities at nearby churches and friends' homes.
Mom cooked a great meal every night. There was usually a meat of some kind, vegetables, potatoes, and dessert. We usually ate at 5:30 and everyone had a specific seat at the table. Mom usually did the clean up too. After that she would give the little ones baths, read stories, and put everyone to bed.
Mom's days were long. Those days mainly started with a bed full of kids who migrated into Mom and Dad's bed in the early hours of the morning. Before we were born Mom worked, and then when the youngest went to first grade, Mom worked again. At the dinner table, Mom and Dad often told work stories.
On the weekends, Mom typically entertained her friends and family members or attended social events at friends' or family members' houses. She and Dad had several theme parties over the years. One memorable theme party was their Hawaiian Night. They decorated the house with Hawaiian decorations and made Hawaiian foods. Everyone had a great time.
As I think about my many memories of Mom, I realize that it was Mom's desire to create a good life for me, my dad, my siblings, and many family members and friends that I remember most. Mom did all she could to create a good life for all of us and that's one of Mom's gifts that I want to bring forward.
After a six-to-ten-year battle with a number of illnesses, Mom died last October. In the end, she was very ill and quite unlike her true self. Death, while sad, did seem to bring Mom peace after such a long, difficult illness. She held on to life with tenacity for quite some time.
In so many ways, Mom stays alive in our lives since so many of us are bringing forth her wonderful, loving spirit and positive energy. Onward.