I was sitting at lunch the other day with a special friend, and we were discussing motherhood. She was talking about how she always hoped her 10 year old daughter would be nuts about her. I get that. I have a 10 year old that can’t get enough of me. I also have a 15 year old daughter who is a bit more chill about her feelings toward me, but the bond we share is undeniable. I love her! I find her dry sense of humor hilarious, her strength amazing, and her zest for life inspiring. I would pick her in a heart beat to be my friend if I was 15 again. My son is even more reserved about showing his true feelings, but I know they exist! I admire his compassion for others, his confidence in who he is and his determination to do the best thing in every situation. I also really enjoy the impersonations he can do.
We don’t have to lose those connections when they drift into the teen years. It is a matter of staying close and involved in what is important to them. My friend went on to share about a buddy of hers who had an amazing mother.
This mother was sentimental and understood about the important things in life. She would make her daughters handmade gifts and they learned to appreciate the love that went into each one. As their mom is gone, they see how precious each gift was. I thought I would share these ideas with you. Wherever you are in life, it’s never too late to start one of these.
The first gift was a book. It was filled with pictures, memories and special life events. Even the medical history was in the back of the book. She used a 4×6 photo album and filled it with notecards that had the memories written in her own handwriting. The mother explained the beauty of it because those who follow her will only have the stories that she told.
The amazing mother also made each of her girls a cookbook. She scanned recipes from cards in her own recipe box, so the original handwriting could be appreciated. She would explain why each recipe was important or where it was shared. She would tell who loved it or a memory surrounding it.
The final gift, that chokes me up, was a voice recording of the songs that she would sing to the girls. She had taken her father’s tape recorder and recorded them for each of the girls. The daughter found it the other day, and she had not heard her mother’s voice for a year and a half. It meant all of the world to her as she listened to, “You Are My Sunshine”.
How important it is to solidify those memories. My special friend has always inspired me with something she does. She has a notebook that she writes in and then passes it on to her daughter to journal back to her. There are light things in it and serious ones. There are words of encouragement and questions asked. How precious will that book be someday? My friend says she aways tucks in a piece of wisdom, so her daughter will aways have access to her mother’s thoughts.
That day after lunch, I went out and picked up a book to start. I want to take every moment in and enjoy.
I wish you a very happy Mother’s Day!
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