Mother – Bright, shiny objects!

…is all I have left from the woman who, for the most part, raised me in my earliest years:

The backstory? My birth father abandoned my mother and me before I left the womb. My grandmother [who we called ‘Ma moo’ because some cousin that went before me couldn’t say Grandma] and my maternal relatives rushed in to fill the gap. My mother worked as an administrative assistant to support my grandmother and me in my earlier years. This note was written around the time I was 3 or 4 when my mom met and married my dad and we moved out to start a life of our own. Today, on the 34th anniversary of her death with tears in my eyes I remember this remarkable woman and the sacrifices she made for me…

It was only last year on this day I learned that when she was married to my alcoholic grandfather there was a time when she left him and put her 4 children up for adoption to protect them from the horrible abuses at home — abuses so bad that my uncles later enlisted in WWII preferring to fight the Japanese and Germans to living with their own father. My grandmother, however, reconsidered out of a deep and abiding love for her children and went back to my grandfather despite the verbal and physical abuse. The number 4 is significant because my mother is the 5th child in the family and she was conceived after my grandmother put the family back together. In a very real way, I would not be here if not for her courage in the face of overwhelming adversity…

Today and every day I thank God for the gift of this courageous woman in my life. There are so many happy memories of early life with her — to this day when I feel happy, I sometimes crave a Cherry Coke. Why? When I was a good boy she took me to the soda fountain and rewarded me with one. This note — 50 years old this year — hangs in my home office and is a constant reminder of her loving presence in my life then, now and always!

My dad sent me this list this morning. Me? I think he’s trying to revise history and preserve his legacy as I remember many of these lessons coming from him:

My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE. “If you’re going to kill each other, do it outside.. I just finished cleaning.”

My mother taught me RELIGION. “You better pray that will come out of the carpet.”

My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL. “If you don’t straighten up, I’m going to knock you into the middle of next week!”

My mother taught me LOGIC. “Because I said so, that’s why.”

My mother taught me MORE LOGIC. “If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you’re not going to the store with me.”

My mother taught me FORESIGHT. “Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you’re in an accident.”

My mother taught me IRONY. “Keep crying, and I’ll give you something to cry about.”

My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS. “Shut your mouth and eat your supper.”

My mother taught me about CONTORTION-ISM. “Will you look at that dirt on the back of your neck!”

My mother taught me about STAMINA. “You’ll sit there until all that spinach is gone.”

My mother taught me about WEATHER. “This room of yours looks as if a tornado went through it.”

My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY. “If I told you once, I’ve told you a million times. Don’t exaggerate!”

My mother taught me the CIRCLE OF LIFE. “I brought you into this world, and I can take you out..”

My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION. “Stop acting like your father!”

My mother taught me about ENVY. “There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don’t have wonderful parents like you do.”

My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION. “Just wait until we get home.”

My mother taught me about RECEIVING. “You are going to get it when you get home!”

My mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE. “If you don’t stop crossing your eyes, they are going to get stuck that way.”

My mother taught me ESP. “Put your sweater on; don’t you think I know when you are cold?”

My mother taught me HUMOR. “When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don’t come running to me.”

My mother taught me HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT. “If you don’t eat your vegetables, you’ll never grow up.”

My mother taught me GENETICS. “You’re just like your father.”

My mother taught me about my ROOTS. “Shut that door behind you. Do you think you were born in a barn?”

My mother taught me WISDOM. “When you get to be my age, you’ll understand.”

My mother taught me about JUSTICE. “One day you’ll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you!”

Only you folks my age understand these profound statements!!!
But, there is one missing from this list. My personal all time favorite!!

My mother taught me about CHOICE. “Do you want me to stop this car?”

Joking aside, my mom taught me a lot about sacrificial love and overcoming your past and I am forever grateful for her persistence. She wasn’t dealt the best hand in life, but she has played it well…