No matter what I think about it, Mother's Day happens. In fact, this year it happens tomorrow, and for the first time in a long while my one and only child is on the premises for the celebration, such as it is. If history is any teacher, the festivities will be brief and all but invisible. This is certainly my hope. Actually, in the last day or two a rumor was floated about "breakfast in bed," but I am putting the kibosh on that since it surely signals the prone diner has the flu or a fever or consumption or worse and thus is unable to reach the dining room. Then there's the whole crumbs in the sheets, spilled juice and coffee on the duvet, etc. to deal with later. My own mother demanded the breakfast in bed treatment every year, along with the cards and the gifts and the flowers, I think because she wasn't ever truly convinced that having kids had been such a great idea, so for her, extra perks were necessary. This is one way I differ from her: My son surely knows by now that all I want for Mother's Day is his happiness.Mothers are funny that way; they care so much more about their kids than non-mothers, including fathers, can comprehend. It's all biological, of course, and not a reflection of our deeper well of compassion or greater capacity for love. It's simply that we can't help it--kind of like how all Democrats think they're right about everything. Our kids are us, so we love them because we love ourselves--or should. So that diamond pendant that says "Mom" is just a waste of money, unless of course it's from Tiffany's and then it would cost way too much and cause severe guilt, not to mention there is no Tiffany's in Maine so one would have had to plan ahead and order it in advance and that is not happening around here, that's for damn sure, wouldn't that be nice--but anyway, I digress. What most moms want, and by that I mean me, is the assurance that bringing our kids into this world was a good thing for all concerned. A simple "Thanks, Mom" will suffice.
A simple "thanks mom" is not enough for me. There is nothing that compares with being loved by a mother. nothing. I plan to milk it for all it is worth, such as I plan to plan the day around what I want to do. I want to hike, go to a yoga class, eat good food that I don't have to prepare and that I don't have to clean up and have time to hang around with my kids. I probably will get at least an hour with the oldest and youngest one, and ALL day with the perfect one.
ReplyDeleteGifts for me are so easy: bird feeders, seed, plants. never get too many of those. and mushy notes.
I only have one, so I don't know what's allowed, but are you sure you can publicly say that one of your kids is PERFECT and imply the other two are less than? Jeez, I hope Sally comes through for you tomorrow!!!!
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PS: I wish you had been my mom!
Aunt Harriet was my favorite aunt !
ReplyDeleteAunt Harriet was my favorite...honest !
ReplyDeleteShe was pretty wild, wasn't she?
DeleteReading this, I am taken back to sitting in your kitchen on benchlike seats with your mother, eating cottage cheese with little vegetables in it (came that way, no one bought vegetables and fussed with them) and laughing so hard. Your mother was amazing. I loved being at your house and hearing her stories ... then she would crack up, roll her eyes and leave the table, still laughing. It was like being in a foreign land. That does not preclude the rest of your household environment being as odd as was mine and/but your mother was a highlight. The only Rockette I ever knew!
ReplyDeleteI loved that cottage cheese with the little vegetables already mixed in! Have not thought about that since then, now I want some. The funny thing is, I LOVED your mother and thought she was a total hoot!
DeleteMiss you.....