Comments

Happy Mother's Day Terez! Hope you had breakfast in bed! Mother's Day is also hard for people from dysfunctional families who did not have good relationships with their mothers. It is difficult for mothers and for children whose mothers suffer(ed) from domestic violence, poor health, and/or poverty. Many women have received a bad deal because of circumstances beyond their control. Mother's Day is also hard for mothers and children who have been hard hit by divorce. The advertising companies often give us images of a great family life very different from our own. This can make Mother's Day, like Christmas, very stressful. It's good to appreciate one's blessings on Mother's Day, and it's also good to remember other people who are not so blessed. I couldn't finish reading the first piece after I got to the part about the snake. It's so hard to explain the world to our children sometimes. PS: is "Rose" your maiden name, middle name, or just part of your nom de plume? Thanks, Mendy, I did!

Pauline - I agree with you. Although I offer only one line on that angle in the second essay, I consider it a very important facet of the dilemma of the day. As someone else commented to me, "There are many ways to lose one's mother besides through death."

Karin - the snake part did me in as well - both when experiencing it and when writing the essay. Oh, and "Rose" is my married name. (I chose my maiden name to post here so as to keep Google hits divided between published credits and discussion forum comments.)

Terez, your essay on the lost Mother's day brought a lump my throat. I haven't had my father for over 20 years already. But I think of him as if it was yesterday, how he brought me to my orchestra practices and never got to meet his grandchildren. Well, things do change when you become the mother. And now you will make the meaning of Mother's day from your child's perspective. Let's treasure the little moments and bring fond remembrances to our children, so that even when we've gone from this earth, they will still smile when they think of the things we did. Like your mother sending you cards for every holiday and sharing with your brother the little things. That is so precious. What wonderful comments, Clare - thanks!