A Day for Mother's

 Have you ever got a phone call and it was the wrong number and the person kept talking and talking and you couldn't get a word in for several minutes to tell them that it was the wrong number? Well, that happened to me the day before my very first mother's day. We were living at that time in my grandmother's old house and I was sitting on the couch at the time looking at the fire in the fireplace with my son on my lap. It was just a chill evening and I was thinking about the next day. 

Then the phone rang and I usually didn't answer "private number" calls but this time I did thinking that it might have been my cousin who changes her number more than she changes her clothes. So, I answered and there was a male voice on the other end and he said, "Hi, I just got back from the store and..." then he proceeded to tell me a list of things he got and I tried several times to chime in when he took a breath and tell him that he was talking to the wrong person but five or six minutes went by before I could. When I finally got the chance to tell him that he was talking to the wrong person he then decided to wish me a happy mothers day, assuming that I had kids. I told him thanks and was about to hang up when he started talking about mother's day. I was thinking clearly this man likes to talk and he will talk to anyone. So, he asked what I was doing on that day. I told him nothing specific. Then he asked what gifts I was expecting. I sat there holding the phone kind of looking dumb founded. Nobody had asked me what I even wanted nor mention that they were going to get me anything. I know I had only been a mom for a minute but the thought of gifts hadn't even crossed my mind. My son's father never celebrated anything. After we met he told me he became a "non-celebrator" of everything. He didn't even celebrate his birthday any more. So, I knew nothing was coming that way from him. 

After a few seconds of air and me deciding if I was going to hang up on this talkative stranger or not I finally said that I didn't think I was getting anything. He asked why not. I told him I had no idea and never really thought about it until just that second. So, he said that all mothers should be celebrated ever day but especially on Mother's Day. He asked doesn't any appreciate all the hard work that it takes to be a mom in my life and if anyone does don't they think I should be celebrated and appreciated with at least a card or some flowers or even a letter of appreciation. He went on to say that women do a lot in the world and hardly ever get credit or appreciated for it. So, after he went on for a few more minutes of praising women around the world he told me to have a great day anyway and we hung up.

I hung up the phone and was to my surprised fired up. I thought about all the things this stranger said to me and thought that yes, I should be celebrated and my son was too little to do it at the time and his non celebrating dad was going to keep his money in his pocket and his time to himself and so that only left me to celebrate me. I cooked myself a nice dinner that year, all of my favorite foods and brought myself a pie from my favorite pie shop that was open and together me and my baby son celebrated me. 

Today, 16 years later I still find ways to celebrate myself and my mom. Sometimes I will cook our favorite foods and sometimes just have it delivered. This year it will probably be delivery for lunch and a some glass clicking cheers to us as we sip on some lemonade or in her case sparkling water. 

And as far as tangible gifts, I do consider just being here with my mom a gift, my son gave me a tree. Well, the start of a tree I should say. It hasn't grown into a full size tree but together we will watch it grown.

Happy Mother's Day!