Yesterday was Mother's Day. I spent a lot of the day thinking about my mother, what it means to me to be a mother, and all the mothering that others had done to me over the years. I thought about all my friends who are mothers...women I admire, and aspire to be more like.
I did a lot of thinking about my own children...what have I been teaching them? How have I impacted their (relatively) short lives so far? And what will they say about me when I am gone one day?
When I was growing up, I would scoff at things my mother would say and do. My daughter does that to me now. She is almost 13, and I have suddenly become a lot less smart than I used to be. I remember that stage in my life. My mother would tell me things and I would think "hey, what do you know, Mom?"
As I get older, I find that I say and do things that my mother did and said...and still does and says. I act more like her...I talk like her, and even my handwriting has become more like hers. As I have gotten older, I have fallen into habits that she used to have (and I used to make fun of!). Her craftiness...oh how I used to laugh at her crochet hooks, her paintbrushes all over the house. She just looks around my house now and laughs...laughs at my crafts all over the place.
Yes...I have become my mother in so many ways. Yet, different in so many ways as well. And you know what that tells me? It tells me that my mom has been an incredible mother. She has passed on her good traits to me...her good habits, her good thoughts. And, at the same time, she has allowed me to evolve into my own person. I look back at the times she held on, and also at the times she let go. I only pray that I will so such a good job with my children.
Perhaps, one day...in the far future, my own daughter will say and do things that I say and do. Only then will I know what a good job I have done. Hopefully, at that point, my daughter will think so too!
Monday, May 9, 2011
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Pomp, Circumstance...and a Royal Affair!!
Things have been quiet on my way to work this week. My kids are off from school for the Easter break, so I don't have the normal banter in the car. Its been good...time to reflect, or just blast my Sirius XM classic rock stations. This morning, I was pondering tomorrow's nuptials of Will and Kate, and the whole Royal Affair. My ride to work is short, so I had only about three songs to listen to on the radio. Two songs, in great juxtaposition, filled the airwaves. The first song was "Stepping Out" by Joe Jackson, a Brit himself. The second song was "Pink Houses" by John (then Cougar) Mellencamp, a decidedly very American fellow. The contrast in tone of each song was deafening...and made me wax philosophical about just WHY America is so fascinated with the Royal Wedding.
In "Stepping Out", Jackson sings of leaving the strife of the day behind...let's get dressed up in our finery and just step out for some fun. Leave the world behind, and have a night with no arguments, no anger of the day. In "Pink Houses", Mellencamp's tone is sarcastic. Many have mistaken this for a Patriotic song, but it really reflects on a jaded look at lost dreams, and lower to middle class realities here in the states.
Our country is in one of its most trying periods in history. People are without work, without food, without hope. Our media certainly has serious issues to focus on, and it has been focused on these issues for quite some time. Families losing homes, the budget debate, and health care reform are at the forefront of our news headlines every minute of every day.
Our fascination with what Kate will wear, or what she will be called after marriage is a natural form of escapism. It is not surprising that our media is almost entirely focused on the wedding at Westminster. Its a real-life fairy tale...and its part of history. We, in the US, have no royalty to speak of, and the news headlines are often not pleasant.
When I wish to escape, I craft or read...and take myself to another world entirely. Everyone needs an escape now and again, and sometimes entire countries need them too. Coverage of this event has been admittedly excessive...but its nothing more than a mass outlet for the world. A happy event to focus on is never a bad thing.
So...I might get up at 6am tomorrow to watch the ceremony. I might trade a cup of tea for my morning coffee, and I might even throw on a (hand-made of course!) fascinator in honor of Princess Catherine. But, I will try not to hum "Pink Houses" while I do it:-) For an hour, at least...before the kids wake up, I will be part of one of history's fairy tales. How about you?
(my own version of a "Kate" Fascinator!)
In "Stepping Out", Jackson sings of leaving the strife of the day behind...let's get dressed up in our finery and just step out for some fun. Leave the world behind, and have a night with no arguments, no anger of the day. In "Pink Houses", Mellencamp's tone is sarcastic. Many have mistaken this for a Patriotic song, but it really reflects on a jaded look at lost dreams, and lower to middle class realities here in the states.
Our country is in one of its most trying periods in history. People are without work, without food, without hope. Our media certainly has serious issues to focus on, and it has been focused on these issues for quite some time. Families losing homes, the budget debate, and health care reform are at the forefront of our news headlines every minute of every day.
Our fascination with what Kate will wear, or what she will be called after marriage is a natural form of escapism. It is not surprising that our media is almost entirely focused on the wedding at Westminster. Its a real-life fairy tale...and its part of history. We, in the US, have no royalty to speak of, and the news headlines are often not pleasant.
When I wish to escape, I craft or read...and take myself to another world entirely. Everyone needs an escape now and again, and sometimes entire countries need them too. Coverage of this event has been admittedly excessive...but its nothing more than a mass outlet for the world. A happy event to focus on is never a bad thing.
So...I might get up at 6am tomorrow to watch the ceremony. I might trade a cup of tea for my morning coffee, and I might even throw on a (hand-made of course!) fascinator in honor of Princess Catherine. But, I will try not to hum "Pink Houses" while I do it:-) For an hour, at least...before the kids wake up, I will be part of one of history's fairy tales. How about you?
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
A Resurrection...of all sorts.
As this year's Easter is shortly passed, the resurrection is still on my mind. While Easter, for Christians, is about the resurrection of Christ, it has prompted me to think of resurrection on a broader scale.
For me, it might be about the resurrection of self...what can I raise myself to for the coming spring, summer, year, decade? Can I resurrect old or dead relationships? Can I resurrect the energy I used to have to take care of my body, my mind and soul like I did before I devoted my life to marriage and children? Bet some of you moms know what I am talking about there:-)
On a smaller and quite less philosophical, but more practical scale...and of course on the craftier side, I have been scouring the house for things to resurrect. Old knitting projects, crochet projects. Old craft materials that I can use with my latest ideas. Old clothing that can be resurrected as something new.
What do you have around the house that you can resurrect into a new life? Got an old wool sweater? Throw it in a hot washer, and felt it. Then you can use up every bit of it! Cut off the arms, and you have instant fingerless armwarmers. Use the rest of the body to create a felted pillow...or you can even cut the felted sweater up into flower petal shapes, and create a few felt-flower brooches, or hair pins.
Got an old pillowcase? Cut off the top opposite the open end, cut the sides a bit angled, and fold over those edges and sew. Run a ribbon through the two pockets you created to tie bows at the "shoulders" and you have an instant little dress for a toddler, or a cute, billowy top for yourself.
All those stray socks that you cannot find the mates for? Add some yarn for hair, and some embroidery and you have a few instant hand-puppets for the kids to have hours of endless creative play time.
You see, the possibilities for resurrection are boundless...whether grandiose and philosophical, or small and crafty. Which will you choose?
For me, it might be about the resurrection of self...what can I raise myself to for the coming spring, summer, year, decade? Can I resurrect old or dead relationships? Can I resurrect the energy I used to have to take care of my body, my mind and soul like I did before I devoted my life to marriage and children? Bet some of you moms know what I am talking about there:-)
On a smaller and quite less philosophical, but more practical scale...and of course on the craftier side, I have been scouring the house for things to resurrect. Old knitting projects, crochet projects. Old craft materials that I can use with my latest ideas. Old clothing that can be resurrected as something new.
What do you have around the house that you can resurrect into a new life? Got an old wool sweater? Throw it in a hot washer, and felt it. Then you can use up every bit of it! Cut off the arms, and you have instant fingerless armwarmers. Use the rest of the body to create a felted pillow...or you can even cut the felted sweater up into flower petal shapes, and create a few felt-flower brooches, or hair pins.
Got an old pillowcase? Cut off the top opposite the open end, cut the sides a bit angled, and fold over those edges and sew. Run a ribbon through the two pockets you created to tie bows at the "shoulders" and you have an instant little dress for a toddler, or a cute, billowy top for yourself.
All those stray socks that you cannot find the mates for? Add some yarn for hair, and some embroidery and you have a few instant hand-puppets for the kids to have hours of endless creative play time.
You see, the possibilities for resurrection are boundless...whether grandiose and philosophical, or small and crafty. Which will you choose?
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