The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
By Elaine Slater Reese - Spring Green, Wisconsin
It's Mother's Day 2015! There are those who dread it - those who wanted children and had none - those whose children are no longer living, and those whose children have chosen to reject their mothers.
Obviously every living person has had a mother. Hopefully, she was loving, wise, and wonderful. For those of you who didn't grow up in that situation, you have been given the choice of what kind of mother you will be. I believe that you will choose wisely.
Time passes so quickly. Every year I take a special walk through my house and take moments to appreciate what is here that reminds me of my mother. There in the bedroom is your baby photo. You are smiling and obviously so dressed up for the picture.
The wedding photo of you and Dad is in the family room. What a beautiful bride you were. There are pictures of you and Dad with my sister and me. I see the photo of my first day at school wearing the special dress you made for me.
I see your favorite photo of your first born Ray Boy who died unexpectedly at the age of two. I know you carried him in your heart every day of your life.
I have boxes of your old canning jars, the big blue bowl that Dad gave you, the bracelet your grandma brought you from France when she went home to visit her family there.
There are the quilts you made by hand. You were so excited to be a grandmother. I see the doll I have covered with the beautiful blanket you wove for my first child. There is also the hat, mittens, booties.
Every week I cook something in the huge old kettle you always used. I bake angel food cakes that taste like yours and I don't have to go to the chicken house to get thirteen egg whites!
I remember your homemade noodles. You dried them by hanging them over the old kitchen chairs. Everywhere there are memories of you here. I treasure all these items I have.
But much more important is what you taught me to be. You lived every day of your life working hard, always being honest sincerely caring about your family and others. You lived when people needed God - not smart phones.
You had a direct line to Him! Every day of my life I find something to be thankful for that relates to what you have taught me. I can only hope and pray that my children see me as that kind of mother also.