A Mother's Lifetime

I didn't realize all the things that I have been able to do in my short life time that my Mom has never experienced.

My Mom is the hardest yet the easiest person to get a present for. It's hard because any time you ask her what she wants she either doesn't want anything or wants something very simple. Like for Christmas all she wanted was a small AM/FM radio so she could listen to her soap operas while at work.

So this year, as every other year, I struggled with what to get her for Mother's Day. I could give her flowers...again...but flowers are so temporary. She loves them when she gets them but I think I have bought my mother enough flowers from 1-800-Flowers for her to have quite an impressive vase collection.

Skizzle suggested I cook for her. I love my Mom too much to do that. Anyone that knows my cooking abilities knows why I say that. But just taking my Mom out for a meal I didn't feel really did her justice. Plus my Mom is the type to say why go out to eat when I have food here and can cook.


I just couldn't figure out what to get her. And I have a pretty good reputation of being a good gifter...I always get the right thing or something really thoughtful that is just the right thing. For days I wracked my brain with what to do. And then it all came to me at once. My Mom loves fruit. She makes a smoothie every morning. But I didn't want to get her a regular fruit basket. So I bought her an edible arrangement.

And I always go home to get my nails done so I thought a manicure and pedicure for my Mom would be a nice addition. But little did I know my mother had never had a professional pedicure or manicure in her life. LIFE...do you understand the concept? In 67 years she had NEVER EVER EVER had something as simple as a professional pedicure and manicure. I just couldn't believe it.

I can't even describe her joy at getting a simple manicure and pedicure. She said ultimately all she wanted for Mother's Day was to spend the day with her daughter. (Why the heck she would want to spend a day with me as opposed to one of my other brothers and sisters is beyond me.) She got more than she bargained for.

But then I thought about all the things I have done, the places I have been, etc. that my Mom has never experienced. My Mom has never been on a plane so she has never been to most of the places I have been. My Mom has never bought a house...she inherited my grandparent's home. My Mom bought her first car two years ago. She always had cars but she never actually bought herself one, they were always used cars purchased from friends or family but never one straight from the dealership. My mom has never been on a cruise. She's a Knicks fan but has never been to a game at Madison Square Garden. There are just so many things my Mother has never experienced (too many things to list them all) and that I take for granted.

My Mother is a reminder of how good God has been to me. I have never had a lot but God has given me so much. Parents always say they want their kids to have more than they had and that has definitely happened for me.