Happy Mothers Day

Today I find myself flooded with a waterfall of memories of  Mothers Day celebrations throughout my life.   Ones I spent with my mother and my grandmother and those of my own after I became a mother.  I can see Mom getting my sister and me ready for church, in our matching Polly Flinders dresses with shiny black patten leather shoes. (My inner tomboy was not happy about the little princess get-up but it sure made my mom happy to have us all gussied up)  My grandmother always had a fried chicken dinner waiting after the church service for her children and grandchildren and eventually her great-grandchildren.  All the moms would have on corsages to show they were being honored on their special day.  Flowers were always the gift of choice for the ladies,  whether it was cut flowers in a vase, corsages, rose bushes, or hanging baskets for the front porch....you knew somebody was going to get flowers.

Years later when I had my sons and got inducted into the Mommy Club,  I got flowers and cards from my boys as was customary, but it was the handmade gifts that meant the most.  The plaster cast of a wee hand, a masterpiece in Crayola medium, a necklace fashioned with elbow macaroni, flowers picked from the neighbor's yard..... Looking down at those cherub-like faces as they explained how much effort they put into making my gifts touched my heart like nothing else ever could.  Of course the key-chain my oldest son got me one year was hard to beat.  It read "MOM is WOW upside-down".

As with all things in life, there will always be some bad times on Mothers Day alongside the good times.  It is with great shame that I share this story with you, but know that I am doing it so you can hopefully learn from my egregious mistake.  If the lesson is lost, then I hope that you have a very forgiving mother like I am fortunate enough to have.

About 18 years ago I was employed as a 911 Dispatcher and I opted to work the graveyard shift which began at 7:00 pm and ended at 7:00 am.  I worked 3 nights in a row and then I was off work for 72 hours.  Unlike many that worked this shift, I did not feel comfortable turning off my telephone as I needed to be available for my kids.  I explained my work and sleep schedule to my family and asked them not to call me before 3:00 pm as I would probably be sleeping.  For my family members that never worked anything other than a 9-5 job, this took some training.  My mother required remedial training......

The odd sleep/work schedule was hard on my body and I suffered from severe sleep deprivation.  Being tired and not getting enough sleep can make a person cranky.  Receiving a phone call at 9:00 am and only have gotten into bed an hour earlier can make a person REALLY cranky.  Receiving an early morning phone call from your mother.... for the second day in a row.... after you expressly asked her not to call you until later that afternoon.... can make your head spin around like Linda Blair's did in The Exorcist.  So on this particular morning when I rolled over and saw the caller ID indicating my early morning wake up call was my mom.....again, I lost all composure.  I did not answer with a "hello".  Oh no, we were way past civility at that moment.   I yanked the phone receiver up to my ear yelled "HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I TOLD YOU TO NOT F---ING CALL ME UNTIL 3:00?"  Did I mention that sleep deprivation can leave a person agitated?  Confused?  Mentally ill?  My mother, in the calmest voice replied "Well, Happy Mothers Day to you too."


Mothers truly personify unconditional love.