What Is A Mother?

Yesterday was Mother’s Day. Happy Mother’s Day to everyone who is a mother in whatever way you are. I was not blessed to be a mom, mama, mother, ma, mommy or any form of the word. Not technically anyway. I do believe that Mother’s Day is for many different types of mothers. Aunts, sisters, grandmothers even friends can be a mother figure in your life. And though I have no children of my own, through the years I have had the pleasure of mothering many many people. If you have your own children you are going to tell me it’s not the same. That is okay. That just means that you know something I don’t and I know something you don’t. How do I know this? My nieces and nephews for starters. I babysat for many of them when I was barely a teenager. I also took care of my great nephews quite often. So I have never been without baby snuggles and cuddles at just about any given time.

I have also mothered lots of my younger coworkers. Some of them I just felt needed a little more coaching and mothering. I remember a young worker came to me and said he was sorry his shirt was missing a button but his mom had just died and she had always taken care of his clothes including sewing on the occasional button. I couldn’t imagine being without my mama at that age or any age for that matter, and because I always kept needle and thread and safety pins in my desk I was able to fix him right up. I also showed him how do do it himself the next time. I have attended their weddings, birth of their babies and sadly a few of their funerals.

My pet babies have also given me an opportunity to love and be loved unconditionally. I am proudly their mama.

In life I feel like we are put in positions of mothering or takin care of people at the exact time they need it. That gives some of us a chance to reach out and help in any way that we can. I think God puts us exactly where we need to be at times like this and helps us to be what we need to be.

I can’t let Mother’s Day slip by without telling you about my own mother. I happened to have been blessed with the best mother in the world. I always called her mama. I know you may think your mother was the best and she may have been to you, but my mama really was the best. She was an amazing woman. I have been without her since 2003. She died on Valentine’s Day. My dad died in 1998 so we always like to say he finally got his Valentine back. They were married for 52 years.

I miss my mama every day. These are just a few of the special things I love to remember about her.

She had unconditional love for all of her seven kids. Yes I said seven. And she thought we could do anything in the world.
She wore red lipstick and face powders and smelled of Jergens lotion.
She loved to read and could read a book in a day.
She cooked meals every single day for all of us.
She could fix anything around the house when it was broken.
She loved Bob Ross and loved to watch him paint.
She worked really hard crossword puzzles with a pen.
She played games with us and was never too busy to make us a treat.
She (when I was in first grade) carried me to the school bus in the winter wrapped up in a quilt. She knew the bus would be cold.
She was the best cook in the world.
She babysat for many of the kids in our neighborhood. She was always in demand.
She was very thin and loved to wear skirts and sandals in the summer.
She could whip up a meal in the blink of an eye.
She hated having her picture taken. We were always sneaking pictures of her.
She loved orange slice candies.
She was a lady through and through.
She could grow any plant. And had them all over the house.
She was so much fun!!! She loved to laugh and lived to be with her family.

This is a picture of my mama when she was only 16 years old.

Me and my mama a couple of years before she passed away.

I hope your day was wonderful no matter what type of mother or mother figure you are.

Always remember

Love your day your way!!!!!