Mother's Day

My cable service for my computer had the nerve to be down on Mother’s Day. Is that rude or what? Just because I was busy all day didn’t mean I wasn’t maybe planning to make an entry. I might have done it.

 

So now I am a day late to wish everyone a happy Mother’s Day. For several MDs I was working on call as a child abuse investigator, and wasn’t able to spend it with any family, which didn’t matter much since my only child worked most holidays herself. Neither of us worked yesterday, but her boyfriend did, so we had all day to ourselves.

 

She apparently jumped out of bed in the early afternoon and ran out to get me really fresh flowers. I am sure it had nothing to do with late planning. They are beautiful and smell wonderful. We went out for my favorite snack, a Dairy Queen, only we went to a “fake” one and they carried coconut, which made it even more special for me. I had a coconut milkshake, which is surely some sort of nectar of some gods.

 

She came over after I had done my normal Sunday Morning Hobble with my Friend Who Is Late. We did 7.5 miles. Then I walked the dogs their usual 2 miles. My daughter and I added another mile and a half shopping at the local mall and 3 grocery stores. She made me some excellent Chicken Marsala, which required ingredients from special places. Good thing I had all that wonderful milkshake fuel to keep me going!

 

I know some people mock Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Sweetest Day, and maybe even Groundhog Day, but hey, any excuse for a party, right? What is wrong with designated days to reaffirm bonds? Billions of people celebrate Jesus’ birthday by giving gifts to each other. They celebrate his circumcision, also. Why not have days now and then to spend with people closest to us? Hallmark need not be involved. Having my dinner cooked meant as much or more to me than the gifts she brought me. But I felt special seeing the happy look on her face for making me happy. Today’s world can use all of the happy puppy acts of kindness we can do.

 

Every day I try to do at least one random act of kindness. It makes me feel good to do it. I hope some of them bring smiles to others. Sometimes I hold open a door for a stodgy looking man in a 3-piece suit. Sometimes I tell a harried salesclerk that her sweater is gorgeous. I might pick up something a person dropped, or engage a harried parent in an empathetic conversation to distract him/her from a crabby child who is about to be punished.

 

Then again, my friend and I will share comments about how people dress and how most people should not let their bouncing bellies hang out in public. I am not a saint, after all.