Mother's Day memories
Sorting though a box of cards, I found a note written in the wobbly hands of two 11-year old boys:
(Boy #1):
For this WONDERFUL MOTHER'S Day we will give you hugs and kisses for ever!!!
(Boy #2):
Tu est comme une fleur, une abeille qui fait du miel, un chat qui est est si gentil.
(You are like a flower, a bee who makes honey, a cat who's so nice.)
The next note in the pile was from 8 years later and says:
I went to bed @ 3 am. Let me sleep in till noon or wake me up if you're going out for lunch.
PS. Happy Mother's Day!
Sic transit gloria matrem. (And please correct my Latin, the accusative case is lost in the mists of fifty years.)
Over the years, I've received gifts ranging from the earnest Gummy Lump to pearl earrings, and not one is favoured over the other. In fact, the whole commercial aspect of Mothers' Day is irrelevant to me; I simply reflect every year on this experience, which was almost lost, as I did not have children till I was all but 39.
The occasion puts a pin in the map of memory and invites me to pause in gratitude for the gift of being a mother.
A few years ago, my friend Susan sewed satin pjs with animal-print trim for her 90+ year old mother, Kay. She's lucky to have her. And so, I think of my mother, too, with whom I (and nearly everyone else) had an intense and complex relationship.
Here she is, holding one of my sons; she is 80; Jules is nearly 1. Mom lived on for nearly 20 more years, obdurate, sharp, even charming when she felt like it for every one of them. She was a force of nature, and I miss her.
(Boy #1):
For this WONDERFUL MOTHER'S Day we will give you hugs and kisses for ever!!!
(Boy #2):
Tu est comme une fleur, une abeille qui fait du miel, un chat qui est est si gentil.
(You are like a flower, a bee who makes honey, a cat who's so nice.)
The next note in the pile was from 8 years later and says:
I went to bed @ 3 am. Let me sleep in till noon or wake me up if you're going out for lunch.
PS. Happy Mother's Day!
Sic transit gloria matrem. (And please correct my Latin, the accusative case is lost in the mists of fifty years.)
Over the years, I've received gifts ranging from the earnest Gummy Lump to pearl earrings, and not one is favoured over the other. In fact, the whole commercial aspect of Mothers' Day is irrelevant to me; I simply reflect every year on this experience, which was almost lost, as I did not have children till I was all but 39.
The occasion puts a pin in the map of memory and invites me to pause in gratitude for the gift of being a mother.
A few years ago, my friend Susan sewed satin pjs with animal-print trim for her 90+ year old mother, Kay. She's lucky to have her. And so, I think of my mother, too, with whom I (and nearly everyone else) had an intense and complex relationship.
Here she is, holding one of my sons; she is 80; Jules is nearly 1. Mom lived on for nearly 20 more years, obdurate, sharp, even charming when she felt like it for every one of them. She was a force of nature, and I miss her.
Comments
Hope you can stop by my blog and read the story of a woman who went from biochemist to fashion designer in her 50s!!
Because I'm mater in Blogland, (although often just ma to you, which I love!), I thought I should double-check the Latin, mine also being almost 50 years old. It does seem to be that the case needed here would be the genitive. In which case (ha!), we'd have "Sic transit gloria matris" (Schoolboys must have laughed at the pronunciation possibilities of mothers as mattresses -- ah, the good old days of classroom shenanigans).
You will probably have some very erudite reader supply the proper grammar -- I'm going to have to check to see.. .so few opportunities to "use" my longlost Latin. TY!
Today, in the mail, I received a Mother's Day card from one of my girlfriends! The front of the card shows a well dressed (1960s style) mother with the caption, "Being a Fabulous Mom is Hard Work, but somebody's got to do it"
I was charmed to receive the card recognizing that no one appreciates mothers as much as other mothers do.
How very lovely of you to have saved those notes, what a special keepsake.
C.
LPC: I have a big box of cards, wouldn't part with them for the world.
materfamilias: She was a beauty- and I do take more after my Dad's side but I got her curly hair. Let's see who the Catholic school girls are!
Susan: It's so lovely to have your friend acknowledge your mothering. One of mine delivers roses to her friends.
Bourbon & Pearls: You mere child! mater is a font of knowledge on many subjects and I would definitely defer to her grammar skills.
C. I'm enormously happy to have both sons close by. Your extended Mother's Day party sounds delightful and makes me wish once again that I'd had at least one girl.
btw, your son is so very cute in that photo!
Hope you have a great weekend!