Mother’s Day
We cooked, cleaned, labored, worried, planned, we wept and laughed, we groaned and we sang, but we never despaired. All this was but a passing phase; “we will certainly laugh at this someday,” we all said buoyantly, laughing even then. Kathleen Norris
Mother’s Day is a special day to honor our mothers and to appreciate our daughters.
Today I am with my daughter, Michelle. Her family lives at the base of Mt. Shasta on three acres of land in a log home built by her husband. I tease her that she is living the German Russian culture, as I admire her seedlings that grow in front of a window breathing in the sunlight, waiting to be planted in the rich volcanic soil. Many things about her remind me of my childhood. I watch her bake bread, work on her quilts, and work in her garden. She has a gentle, loving heart just like her Grandmother Mollie, my mother.
My mother had many virtues. I often ask myself, “How did she muster the courage and fortitude to raise her children during hard times?” My mother had three children to feed and clothe during the Great Depression. She sent two sons off to war; France, World War II, and Korea, the Korean War. Both were injured. And then there was me, the youngest of five, the frisky, free-spirited child. This is when she showed her patience and tolerance while teaching me many lessons. I remember how she taught me to sew, crochet and do Russian punch. I remember her kindness and acceptance.I often catch myself repeating some expression she had said. And I do things the same way she did them. She is a special part of “who” I am.
Today my heart is bursting with love for my mother and for my daughter who means so much to me.
Happy Mother’s Day to all of you.
