OPINION? EVERYBODY HAS ONE Seeing my offspring honor their mother is enough

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

The day of the year that we are to celebrate the mothers of our lives has come and gone as have many of our mothers. Even death can’t keep us from celebrating our long lost mothers, and I do remember and honor mine. She was the saint of my life and of my Pappy’s life too.

I never knew Pap’s mother and he didn’t talk about her much. She was blessedwith a couple of boys and a husband who was more interested in drinking hard liquor than helping her raise a family. The folks of the town did talk about her with reverence and speak of her generous ways with people in need. I guess she was a midwife to many needy women in the area, hooking up a team and traveling to them in all kinds of weather and eventhe dark of night. I was just a teen when we visited the dying town, and it went right on and died.

Pappy was so kind and thoughtful, and it was because his sweet mother had taught him by the way she had lived. And I expect she had it pretty rough, making do for herself and the family. Raising a garden in her country was hard, windy and arid and either hot or cold. No water line was hers to water with, so buckets of windmill water were carried to the little canals she made to irrigate. You know the water soaked up in a couple of feet and another had to be carried.

The offspring of this family were very gracious and plied their mothers with gifts and attentions all day. We filled up a couple of pews at church and she wore enough flowers to make the flower shop owner happy! I could smell the bouquet at the other end of the pew, even with all the Grands in between chewing on green apple bubble gum!

I treated us to a dinner at the steak house and we drove home for cake and ice cream made by our female offspring. The gifts were opened and all four of the females were mightily blessed with perfumes and powders, rakes andhoes for their passions with working in the dirt and gems of many sizes and values. I suspect they all loved the garden tools the most!

I am proud to say our daughters-in-law have made this family complete. They both came from miles away, making it difficult to see their family on every holiday, so they spend most of them with our tribe. They are lovely and loving mothers, raising good God-fearing offspring themselves. I admire their ability to put up with their partners in good spirits and make the most of being in a family business. It is not easyto deal with all this in a gentle way!

It is my opinion, and everyone has one, the day to celebrate us dads is not really necessary since we have Mother’s Day. It is so nice to enjoy the way our offspring endeavor to thank and praise their moms that I do not need a day of my own! I am paid tribute by their love and admiration of the one I chose to be their mother! I thank our Lord for the sacrifices and love of all the mothers. Bless you all!

Bill is the pen name used by a local writer and longtime resident of the Gravette area.

Opinion, Pages 6 on 05/11/2011