Mother’s Day Oops · 16 May 2015
Mother’s Day is one of those days that you just cannot miss. But for all the years that I have been writing, I have not done a specific Mother’s Day piece (except to write about my mom and her technology). Oops.
The problem with writing about mothers is that there is only so much niceness that can be said in one day let alone one piece of writing. How many times or how many ways can one person say, “Thanks for being my mom and bringing me into this life”? Think about it. All the sappy stuff that they put on greeting cards does not convey the proper respect and love that people feel for their moms.
Moms are gentle and loving and nurturing and caring and loving and kind and patient and loving and helpful and stern and loving. We cannot use enough great words to describe our mothers, and yet when we try the words sound like so much tripe. Yuch. Gag me with a fork (or spoon as the valley girls used to say).
I have this gag reaction when I think of all those sappy Mother’s Day cards, but have sent them or given them to my mom in the past. The need to send cards or do something nice is not just because Mother’s Day is a greeting card holiday, but because we really do want to honor our mothers and show them how much we care about them. We really do think that they are wonderful and stupendous. And loving. We really do believe them to be superwomen who can bring home the bacon and fry it up in a pan. We really do love them and cherish them above all other humans that we know. It is just that we cannot say all the things we want to say in a greeting card poem or even a silly MediocreMan blog. At least I cannot.
The three special women in my life (my wife, my mom, and my mother-in-law) are special beyond words. There are not enough superlatives to describe them. There is not enough depth to tell of my love for them. God gave moms to us as a special gift. His words after creating people, “It is very good,” are the best words we can speak to the special women in our lives. They are indeed very good. And I thank God for the special moms in my life.
Even though I say there are not enough words to tell of my love and respect for my moms and my wife, and even though I believe there are not greeting cards good enough to give to those women, I have neglected them all far too often.
Life is too busy, too full of stuff, too overscheduled. We often neglect the people we love the most. We often go for the good and forget the best. That is how I feel when I hastily pick up or make a card for my wife. I feel like I am missing something when I just pick up some flowers instead of planning a nice day to spend with the mother of my children. While I may sometimes think that Mother’s Day is a greeting card holiday, I believe I owe a debt of gratitude to my mom and my wife that I can never repay. And so while any little trinket or gift is not enough, they will have to suffice if only to show a glimpse of my love and devotion to the women I love.
When it comes right down to it, all of this is to say that there is no real way to say all the things we need to say to our mothers and wives. One day, one gift, one gesture is not enough to tell of our undying devotion to the most important women in our lives. Still, we must try. We must give our all to the women we love. And we must work hard to show them that undying love. Instead of shrugging when we forget. Instead of playing it off with a simple word or two like “sorry” or “oops.”
I know that my words are not good enough. That they are inadequate to describe the depth of love and devotion I feel toward my mom and my wife. Still, I hope that some of that love is conveyed when I say, “Happy Mother’s Day.” (Even if it is a week late. Oops.)
© 2015 Michael T. Miyoshi
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