Happy Mother's Day

Last weekend my daughter remarked, "I sound just like you when I say that." Whatever it was she said I am grateful that I do not recall for it is never a flattering comparison that accompanies those words. I, too, have had that feeling. I cringe as words that sounded inane, laden with hyperbole, and spoken with that tone, have crossed the time/space barrier from my mother's mouth to mine. Why do I fear that I have become my mother? Why does anyone?

Today is a good day to remind myself that for every annoying habit or distasteful trait I inherited from my mother, there are dozens of positive qualities that she passed on to me that make who I am today.

For one thing, no matter how horrible things were, birthdays were celebrated with aplomb. I am generous because of my mother who every year bought us many presents, even when there was little money. She let us pick what the whole family would eat for dinner. She made a special cake. Thanks to my mom, I still think it is weird when people claim to have made something themselves when it came from a mix. Yeah, that's right! I made it from scratch! Hollah to my moms. She bought our favorite ice cream, even if it was butter pecan and nobody else liked nuts.

I am also thoughtful because of my mother. Yes, at times, I have wondered why she clipped and mailed articles about rowing crew to me for ten years after I was a coxswain for a year in college. I know, now, that she was thinking about me and she wanted me to know it.

These days, it is fluffy sheep and Sudoku puzzles and I love them both. Because of my mother, my sister also has this awesome quality. She is delighted when she finds a Custo Barcelona bag for me or anything with skulls on it. "I saw this and I had to get it for you!" Those are loving and sweet words and I get a warm fuzzy feeling when I say them. I need to remember that I sound just like my mother then, too.