Many years ago my mother and I were having an argument. It wasn’t a negative argument, more a difference of opinion. But as I recall it was quite vehement. You see my mother had just made a comment that I strenuously disagreed with. She maintained that while her children were creative, she was not. My mother believed that she was just a wife and mother. Just! JUST!
I was raised by loving parents. They taught me to appreciate the world and to be curious about everything. Like most children I was born naked and ignorant. If anyone out there doubts the importance and value of a loving mother and father, then I respectfully say you’re nuts!
Not everyone has the great fortune to be raised in idyllic circumstances. Some people have the wherewithal to raise themselves to be good people. I basically didn’t have a choice. Being surrounded by good people there was no other way than to follow their lead. It was the path of least resistance.
I had a mother that every Halloween made my costume. That’s not creative? One year I was a black cat with a long black tail and whiskers. One year I was an alien with a javex bottle helmet painted gold and a corrugated cardboard belt with matchbox compartments also painted gold. With that one she apologized for not being able to make my ears look like Spock from Star Trek, my eyebrows did!
My mother fed us wonderful meals every day. She found ways to make us eat things we did not like, often without us realizing it. My mother used her charm, her wit and yes her force of will to raise three children to be responsible and caring adults. You think that’s not creative?
I believe that one of the most important jobs in the world is that of mother. Well, a good mother. A good father is also important especially if he has to take over the role of mother. I don’t have any children so I can only speak from the perspective of one that was raised by good parents. But the way I figure it the time and effort it takes to raise children to adulthood is mind-boggling! To the mothers and fathers out there, kudos to you! The world is a better place because of the job you did raising your children. Now if that isn’t power I don’t know what is!
Let me leave you with a few pieces of advice my mother gave me over the years:
– always wear clean underwear, you never know who may be looking
– smile at people who are angry at you, it messes with their heads
– a good person does what’s right, even when no one is looking
– wallowing in self-pity is fine, for 15 minutes
– a woman should be good in two rooms in the house, and one of them is the kitchen
God love mothers!
scottishmomus 