During the school holidays when inspiration struck, we would
put whatever money we had together and do something special for Mom. I remember
we could afford a frozen chicken once, but it took so long to thaw that is was
under-cooked when Mom, with great ceremony, began to carve it that evening.
Another
time we presented Mom with a great ‘feast’, but she came home from work really
ill, and couldn’t face looking at food. She felt so bad.
I made a chocolate
cake once and, not having a cake-tin, hid it in the linen cupboard. The next
day it was so full of ants, it looked like the cake had been decorated with moving chocolate sprinkles!
When my children were growing up, I remember ploughing my
way through a HUGE bowl of all-bran flakes with far too much sugar and way too
little milk with four sets of eager eyes watching me munch every mouthful. The
children also liked to buy me strips of liquorice for Mother’s Day, but
couldn’t resist taking a generous bite off each end first.
Going through my box of ‘treasures’ – cards, letters,
apologies and thank you notes from my children, one that I treasure is with
each verse written by one of the children, starting with the youngest scrawled
with an immature hand to the eldest.
“I hope that soon
We’ll give to you
The strength you gave
Through which we grew.
I wish one day
We’ll learn to gain
From lessons learnt
And life’s little pains.
I pray that now
We’ve all become
The people you hoped for
From what you have done.
And from the gift of life you gave
May us kids give you happiness today!
HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!”
