Auntie Charo's Soapbox

So often, we take them for granted, and for one, measly day a year, we give her a day to honor all that she has given us for a day, a week, a month, a year, a lifetime. So many things we forget to thank her for, the times she walked alone in a darkened room while she prayed that your whooping cough would go away, the many trips to the doctor, the measles, the mended bones you broke on the soccer field, the trips to visit the teacher because you were disruptive in class, the many tears on her shoulders because some boy, or girl broke your heart, perhaps you were divorces, maybe you lost a loved one, maybe even lost a child or spouse. How many times did she cook your favorite meal, plan a party for your child, your wedding, Christening. Your mom, there for everything anytime you wanted something. You even bragged to your friends, calling her your, 'bank of mom'.
As I write this, many of you are out there at Ross, or Macy's or perhaps even K-Mart, picking out what you think will win her heart, pretty cut flowers, a plant, a fruit basket, a blouse, a dress, maybe a Mandara massage, take her to brunch, dinner. The paper's full of ads about jewellry that will remind her of this day and your material appreciation of her...and as you hand her the small package, you'll quickly hug her and you'll show off her little package, hoping that the expensive trinket will let her know how much you love her.
My nest is empty as I write this. I miss my boy and girl crawling into bed with Kiku wo watch t.v., we talk, we share snacks and our bodies touch as they did when out babies were babies. I miss my little putting her arms around me, or hugging me, or telling me how pretty I look, or how good I smell. I miss the daily mother's day gifts of bringing in the newspaper and the cup of coffee before, sometimes the peeled pugua, the treats that they find that they know I like, the pastits, the buchi-buchi and all the things that remind me that I'm in their thoughts. They don't wait for that one day in the year to show how much they love me, I see it on a daily basis, but it is fun to see how funny it is when they try to keep up with the Joneses with special presents...but then........there's the mail system, it'll probably get here at the end of the month!
For all the other mothers, HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!