Mother’s Day came and went- It was good to see mom. I remember when I was little growing up with my three brothers (explains a lot of why I’m like I am – lol) we would celebrate Mother’s Day in a carefree child’s way. For years, we would go to church with mom – we would get up at the designated time during the Service and sing a Mother’s day song with all of the Sunday School Class. She would be special, like all the other mothers who sat tall and proud in their Sunday best, with a corsage pinned to her dress. Most moms of that era had at least two children- mostly more. Mom had four of us to be proud of and four of us who showed extra special love on that day- with a homemade card and picture we drew or a plaster handprint made the week before.
She never really got a day “off” until we were in our teens, when we came to understand how much she sacrificed, encouraged, prayed, guided, and most importantly loved us. We would make breakfast, lunch, and dinner and at times bake a cake for her special day.
Over the years it has gotten simplified to a card, flowers, or a phone call. Being a mom myself, I have experienced this same journey. Along with loving my children, being proud of them in whatever way I can, supporting their decisions- not always understanding them and sometimes not accepting their decisions-but letting them live their journey as they wish. Sometimes this decision leaves you out of their lives and that’s ok. Ramble on- I guess what I’m trying to say is my mom and 4 kids, 2 of us stayed close to her while 2 chose to separate from her. I can relate. Early on when two of my brothers went their own way, I could not understand it and wondered why. I also wondered how mom could “carry on” without all of us. As I grew older, wiser and saw life at different stages I understood how she did it. You just love your children enough to let them live the life they want to live.
Anyway, lol ……. after that long release of thinking- mom and I had a wonderful 66th Mother’s Day together. She still knows me, she still loves me, she still doesn’t remember much of anything, but she’s still my mom and I am able to remember for the both of us.
I have a ton of special Mother’s Day celebrations memories with her, and I look forward to many more of my own Mother’s Day Celebrations.
I’m trusting everyone had a Happy Mother’s Day in their own right.
Peace & Love,
Cheryl Doreen
Dorothy's Dementia 