Creation... and the importance of "Motherhood"

May is an "M" month... may flowers... and most especially... Mother's day! So why must Ol' Man Winter... and his discouraging weather try so very hard to not cooperate? As I am writing this post, it is snowing and blowing viciously outside my window.

Oh well... Happy Mother's Day!... anyways... to all of "You" who are mothers!

We set aside one day in the year to honour the people in our families who are caregivers.... nurturers... confidantes... counsellors... healers... therapists... and lifetime Friends. "You" are indeed worthy of this honour bestowed upon each of you by your individual families and their varied rituals of celebrating this yearly occasion.

"I" envy each family who is still able to carry on this tradition face-to-face with their Mom....Ma... Mum... Mother tomorrow. "I" will be visiting my Mother's grave... flowers in hand... to spend a few quiet moments reflecting thankfully.... reverently... to offer forever my undying love, respect and need... to "Be"... together and "one" with the Soul who made my living possible... and blessed.

While the deep pain and sorrow that visited "me" initially with her passing has ebbed away over time..."I" do experience moments in my daily life when my need to be in touch with "Her"... to feel the comfort of her presence... generous spirit and her unconditional love which "She" offered each member of our family. Strangely... I will often find my Self reaching for the phone to call "Her"... silly ol' Bear!

What my post underscores.. is that a GOOD mother's work is never done... even reaching beyond the grave. My Mom's gifts to "Me" over our shared lifetime will be "passed forward" by "Me"... unconditionally... by "Me" to my own five children... and to every student who sat within my classroom over twenty-seven years.

"I" am indeed blessed to have had such a Mother - capital "M" fully intended and tomorrow my thoughts and my heart will belong to "Her" in gratitude and love.

In closing... I offer another look at a still life painting that "I" created in her memory entitled "Summer Reliquary". She loved all things wild... birds... flowers and her cottage which we summered at for over 50 years. This painting is my reliquary box... to hold all of the sacred memory objects from that riverside "Church". It is included in my book along with this poem that is written on the back of the painting.... my love expressed in my "Two Voices"

I send out my personal best wishes for rich blessings and long life to ALL Mothers!


Summer Reliquary

All the lessons have been taught
But all are not yet learned.
Though all the pages have been written,
Each day I find a new page turned.

A simple smile... or daisy face
Conjures up sweet thoughts of "You"-
Lost words once spoken fall into place,
Come peace and wisdom too.

Though Time and earthly matters do conspire
To blight sweet memory treasures rare,
I only have to look about me,
Or in my heart-
And I always find "You" there.

"I" love "You" forever Mom!

Sunday, June 9Th, 2009