This morning, I made my weekly run to a nearby grocery store to stock up on fruits and vegetables for the coming seven days. My timing was good and I hit one of the checkout lines when it was empty. The young lady, in her early twenties I'm guessing, was extremely pleasant and as she scanned my produce, asked,
"Are you cooking for your mother tomorrow?"
I explained my mom had passed away and she quickly apologized. I told her it was not necessary, that Mom had lived a good and long life. She then asked, "Wife?"
No, ma'am.
"Kids?"
No, just me, although I mentioned I work with the Chinese speaking part of our congregation and we eat together after services.
I turned the conversation around.
"How about you?"
She told me she had purchased something for her mom but she was not sure it was going to go over well. She told me her mom wanted the gift to be money but the young lady left me with the very distinct impression that giving her mother cash was a very bad idea. And I immediately felt very sad for her. As I walked out the door, I got the attention of one of the managers, pointed to the young lady, and told him she does a good job. It was the least I could do. I take it she deals with heartache on a daily basis.
As I exited the store, I missed my mom. I missed her because it's Mother's Day tomorrow, the fifth since her death, but that really wasn't why. I miss her because I just had a reminder of how good I had it. I/we had a mom who put the family first, who put her husband before herself, who lived for but not through her kids, and at the top of her priorities was her relationship with God. All her skills and gifts and abilities, and she had many, emanated from the connection with the Lord. She didn't spend much because we didn't have much but she could stretch a dollar like a Slinky. Any cash she might have had went for the well being of the family, the less fortunate, and the works of the Savior so I cannot relate to the young lady at the store. I asked her to hug her mom for me since I can't hug my mom any more and she promised to do so. And I pray the mom likes her daughter's gift, whatever it may be, on the day set aside for all the women who risked death by bringing us into the world. That's the best gift Mom gave me.
Applicable quote of the day, # 1:
"An ounce of mother is worth a pound of clergy."
Spanish Proverb
Applicable quote of the day, # 2:
"Men are what their mothers made them."
Ralph Waldo Emerson
God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1
www.hawleybooks.com
E-mail me at steve@hawleybooks.com
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