Mother’s Day 2025

          

There are many kinds of mothers, many kinds of children and many kinds of families.  There are special folks who become very much like substitute mothers. And of course there are grandmothers!  Where would be without them? This is the day set aside for remembering them all.

My mother, pictured above, born in 1902 lived one month short of 100 years. As a man now 90 years on the path of life, I have had my share of experiences to which I can attach memories of the good times, the growing pains and the effort I put into my relationship with my mom. One thing I believe I understand is that for all the influence she had on my development, who I am is not her responsibility. To the extent that I have been open to learning from my life as her son, it has been possible to meet many of her hopes and expectations for whom I would become. In the final analysis, however, the choices have been mine to make for the better or the worse.

I honor my mom with unconditional love, appreciation for her efforts to provide the best base for living that she could and even forgiveness for any assumed faults I believe she may have had.

I hope you can find a special place in your heart to honor the best your mother had to offer you. For some that may be difficult. For real growth, however, it is important to recognize what we can gain from her that aids us along our path. “Love one another” was not for the simple relationships. It is for all relationships.

 

Folding Clothes and Taking Naps

It seems strange that it takes some of us eighty-seven years to understand more fully what is important in life.

So often my “great insights (?)” come as I am folding clothes after my regular Sunday morning wash, or perhaps just I am drifting into the twilight of my daily nap. Sometimes they come deep in the night dreams (that seem so prescient at the time) but which, upon waking too often are gone!

No matter. What is important is that those insights come at all. The point is made whether remembered later or not. Frustration that sometimes follows comes as one might think they are more important (for others to share) than is actually true. Perhaps they really are only for my benefit.

I am a most fortunate living person. I have reached a certain age and still have enough of my faculties to recognize the importance of being alive. Fleeting memories reassure me that I have “been there, done that” in so many ways. I am so grateful! I have blessings beyond any that I have a right to experience. I can only suppose that somewhere along the path I have done a few things in a manner that has resulted in more good than ill.

So, I will keep “Folding Clothes and Taking Naps!” I am so grateful!

--Originally posted on Facebook, February 6, 2022