Happy Mother's Day

A day for Mom. Maybe we should have more of these days for mothers, since they play such an important part in our lives. A lot of people praise their mothers for all the strength and fortitude they had raising children, sometime alone without a husband's help. Many talk about the mothers who did without to give to their children, whether it be food, clothing and/or a home.

I want to tell you a little bit about one of those mothers, who raised her only child on very little income, and always with a smile and kind touch. This mother married and medically discharged Navy sailor right after WW2. A man from Kentucky and this lady from Alabama were not unlike most people of that era, not much education, but willing to work hard to get their feet rooted and begin their family. A child was born almost immediately and they found a small apartment in a low income housing development. From there they gained money for the essentials and moved to an upstairs attic apartment in a growing neighborhood. The child grew strong and started school a few blocks away. He thought he had the best childhood ever. But the father had wandering eyes and eventually the parents split. 

The mother, never wanting to let the child see her pain and go through the divorce process, so she sent the child to live with her parents on a farm in Alabama. Phone calls and letters were few and far between due to the lack of money the mother had. after nearly a year, the child was sent for by the mother to return to her. It was a joyous reunion, but with an understanding that funds were slim, the child had to be strong because he would be on his own while the mother worked in a low paying job, an elevator operator in an upscale department store in downtown Cincinnati.

The mother moved them from one apartment to another apartment for several years, trying to get them in a better neighborhood at a price she could afford. Sometimes living there for only a month or two. The child suffered by going to 5 different schools in one year. The mother did what she could, but assisting with the child's school homework was not her thing, only having an 8th grade education herself. 

The mother continued to tell the child things will get better and they would get out of the low income apartments and into a better neighborhood. Of course the child believed his loving mother, except he knew that would not happen until a hardworking man came into the picture.

Now, this the same scenario we hear about from many single divorced mothers struggling from day to day, making the best out of nothing mainly for the kids. That is what mothers do. It is a motherly instinct to take care of the children before yourself. Right? If there holes in the kids socks, you sew the holes up. If their very little food, the mother eats less so the kids can have more. You do what you can to make the ends meet. It is built into mothers, and most fathers, if the are the main parent.

Mother's day is a little sad for me because mother has been gone for several years. I miss the phone calls to tell her how much I love her and wish her Happy Mother's day or birthday. She was alway caring and loving to me. Sometime too much for me (as tears come to my eyes).

I regret the few times I spoke too harsh to her as I grew up and finally understood what parenthood was really like. My mother had very few skills or education, but she was rich with love, caring, and more love. Plus, she was a GREAT cook. In her final years, she took a job cooking for the prisoners at her local jail, and the prisoner called he "MOM".

My mother finally found a good man to marry and they lived their later years into retirement, happily in Alabama.

And you probably guessed it, the story is about my mother and me. A hero in my mind and a very loving mother. I miss you Mom. Happy Mother's Day to all of you mothers for all you give up for your children and all those kisses you embarrass us with in front of our friends as kids.

And to all the mother that no longer with us, you will NEVER forgotten and we will ALWAYS be loved.

                                                            My late mother at 81.