In this short “bonus” edition of One Good Thing, I’m offering two ideas for gifts that — if you order quickly — should arrive in time for Mother’s Day, which is May 11th.
I assume that most of us will absorb the Mother’s Day concept based on how our own mothers handled this somewhat weird one-day celebration of an identity that, once assumed, will last every single day for an entire lifetime.
The celebration itself seems to have the reverse effect of pointing out how impossible it is to acknowledge the actual contribution our mothers make to our lives.
Hi Mom! I owe you my very life.
So let me take you to brunch!
My mother, Jane, could sniff out phoniness from a great distance. She had a disdain for manufactured holidays and overall didn’t seem to enjoy being the center of attention.
And yet … there are times when attention must be paid.
Starting when we were young children, my siblings and I were directed toward the only gift that our mother would happily accept on Mother’s Day:
Flowers.
The rules were simple. Hand-picked flowers delivered in a jelly glass.
Nothing fancier — nothing more — would be accepted gracefully.
But nothing less would do, either.
Early May where I live will NOT offer up many options, flower-wise. Wilted daffodils and just-blooming tulips are about it.
After delivery and a hug, the day would not be spoken of again — until the next year.
“Can we speak in flowers.
It will be easier for me to understand.”Nayyirah Waheed
Maybe your mother is this way. Maybe your mom makes you thread the Mother’s Day needle with a delicate filament.
Or maybe your mom would like something more concrete and longer lasting than hand-picked posies.
A book, perhaps?
My dear friend Gay Cioffi has produced a small book that delivers flowers of all seasons, beautifully rendered in watercolor and accompanied by a lovely quote.
I featured this book once before in this space and readers loved it.
Gay tells me that if you get your order in quickly, your mom — or you — should receive it by Mother’s Day.
Want to order? Just click HERE and Gay will make sure to ship out your book(s) quickly.
And not to be outdone by my bestie, I will offer my own memoir of life with mom, life after mom, and life as a mom — to the first five readers who subscribe to my One Good Thing newsletter. (Note — this is a paid subscription; I don't want to surprise anyone!)
I will happily inscribe the book to your mom (or to you) with whatever expression of love you choose, and will send it directly to her (or to you!).
How do you subscribe?
Do you have a favorite memory, recipe, expression, habit, bedtime story or tradition inspired by your own mother? Please do share in the comments section and I’ll feature your thoughts in my Mothers Day newsletter.
With Love (and flowers)…
Amy
So many thoughts popped into my head regarding my wonderful mother now gone for 28 years and still missed. The memory that still makes me laugh is that, no matter what, she could never be blunt or rude to anyone. If she was totally not interested in what someone was saying, she would just keep repeating in very flat tones, "Um, um, um, isn't that somethin'." Her best friend, Gladys, told me that they were at a wedding reception together one night. My mom was stuck (wedged!) in a corner at a table, while the young woman next to her, whom she had not known before that night, shared at great length VERY personal details of her life. Rather than saying, "I don't want to hear all this," at each pause Mom would repeat, "Um, um, um, isn't that somethin'."
She also could talk to anyone if she was interested in what they were saying. She worked at my old high school as a secretary. She answered the phone and talked for about 20 minutes telling the caller all about Martin Luther High School. When she hung up, her co-worker said, "Who was that? A friend of yours?" "No," Mom answered. "Wrong number."
My mom is a complex person, and sometimes the negative stuff overshadows the good stuff - but there definitely are Good Parts I cherish: cooking together, taking me to the library, teaching me manners, and introducing me to the joys of afternoon tea and crumpets. And man, that lady loves to party!