AUTHOR E.B. WHITE once wrote, “I wake up in the morning unsure of whether I want to savor the world or save the world. This makes it hard to plan the day.” While I appreciate Mr. White's humor, I'm certain he was never a mother. I never met a Mom who didn't wake up early concerned about her family or one of her children, or at least thinking about them.
Today, not only can I savor my days, but I believe I just may be able to save them. If I look back on my path to self-confidence honestly, the foundation was laid in my early years—one day at a time by one person—Mom. The longer I live, the more I adore her. She demonstrated how savoring and/or saving the day is done and never stopped telling me things like, "You can do anything you put your mind to." To this day, I believe whatever she told me was true. Mom didn't allow lies in the house!
In this photo, Mom was in her late twenties. At three, I nearly always sat where Mom liked to keep all of her babies—close. The photo isn't blurry, so evidently, I sat still long enough for Dad to snap it. I'm dressed in my finest cowboy outfit, so it must have been a Sunday afternoon. I don't recall those white boots, though. They were probably the most recent high-tops from the local Red Goose shoe store. Mom insisted that her little ones were well-accessorized and our shoes always fit perfectly.
But I notice something a little "off" about this photo, and it may tell a larger story about the moment. Neither of us was smiling. Any Mom would notice that I bet. Everyone knows how Moms always insist their children smile BIG for the camera, and so do they. No doubt, one of my first words had to have been,"Cheeeeeeze!" All other photos I can think of show Mom as the happy, smiling, or laughing soul she often was.
And I wonder why she wasn't smiling while holding her dear, sweet firstborn. You KNOW I was such a sweet boy, right? Perhaps it was one of those snapshots taken before everyone was ready. Based on years of experience as a son, a dad, and a granddad, it looks like Mom wasn't having a good time. When Mom isn't happy . . . well, you know!
Like most three-year-old boys, I was a continuous motion machine. And any mother can tell you what it's like trying to situate toddlers (or one difficult toddler) for a picture event. I chuckle when I imagine what she might have been thinking, as it's more than possible that she wasn't holding me tightly due to an abundance of affection so much as to eliminate all possibilities of my escape. Notice that I was leaning forward slightly, likely plotting my getaway. I probably fought her to the last second, troubled by the thought that she would require the usual multiple poses, you know, to make sure one of the pictures captures everyone looking, well, acceptable.
I shudder to think what she may have said to Dad after the film was developed. It is wise to make Mom Iook her absolute best in photos that might be seen by strangers. I know I was a strong-willed child, as she may have mentioned it to me a couple of times in my life. Plus, there's proof. There are numerous home movies floating around that reveal my antics as a child. But I digress. I'm certain that Dad's nervous finger accidentally activated the shutter too soon in response to Mom's pleading to "Hurry up. I can't hold him much longer!" Men get nervous when Moms give orders—even if we're only a toddler. I consider myself fortunate to have this photo and in good condition!
All silliness aside, even though your career as Mom is hard—and honestly, "hard" is such a weak word for what you do—your work, your responsibility is enormous, and hands down the most important and challenging life-long career you will ever live out "24/7/365" 'til death do you depart.
Mom's, I believe you will understand what I'm about to write: I bow my head in gratitude today to our Creator who provided a mother who didn't give up on me but gave me the best of herself. She stood firm when she said, "No!" And she made sure I didn't ignore it. Children must learn to follow legitimate authority early on. Mom isn't a job for the faint of heart. I might never have learned that one day a simple word like No could save my life, so that today I can savor life. But because I could trust her with "No," I knew I could also be confident with her, "Yes." I'm still strong-willed. Because of her love, I learned how to channel it in a better direction. . . at least most of the time.
Moms give advice that steer kids around danger and humiliation. Moms can heal with kind and insightful words no one else can speak and hugs no one else may give when children hurt or feel like a total loser. Mom told me I could do good just as easily as I could bad but emphasized that "good" was always a much better choice. And her smile is etched on my heart. For all she was and did, I will love her forever.
My advice: talk to your mom often if you can, especially today. I sure wish I could talk to mine.
Thank you, Mothers, for all you are and do! I hope you get what you deserve—quality time with your family today. Happy Mother's Day!
© Copyright 2020, 2021, Rewritten May 2024 Gary Landerfelt MyPericope.com
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