Tag: gifts

A Life Story

Wednesday, December 18, 2024

One week before Christmas!

Yesterday, at the department store where I work, a woman was purchasing a gift for her mom and told me that her mom is 103 years old. Her mom also is fully cognizant. I stepped away from the cash register, asking if she had some extra moments to tell me more about her mom. The customer seemed pleased.

Her mom was born in 1920 in South Dakota, where she lived until she graduated from high school. In those days, her best bet for self-supporting was to become a secretary. As a young adult, she went to Los Angeles and attended a “secretarial school.” Instead of working long as a secretary, she joined the Military. She became a career WAC, earning both rank and technical skills. On retiring, she returned to SD, married a local farmer, and gave birth to five children. My customer, approximately in her forties, was the youngest of those siblings.

I asked my customer what it was like to grow up with a focused, high-achieving mom in years when women were less outwardly aspirational. She believes her childhood was terrific, and her mom was an expert guide. My customer added that she followed in her mom’s footsteps by marrying and having a child later in life.

She said that until last year, her mom continued to live independently in her South Dakota home, doing all the housework and outside chores. Finally, her failing hearing and eyesight forced her into assisted living. The mom remains amazingly independent and fully aware but benefits from having help. The customer added that, from her mom’s perspective, although she’s relatively healthy, she’s lived for too long.

My customer pointed me to the “feel” of a sleepwear item she was purchasing because her mom’s failing eyesight had turned her into “a toucher” and her way of deciding if she does or doesn’t like an item. The customer and I agreed that the PJ set had a pleasingly lightweight, silky feel and seemed perfect for her mom.

Dear Friends: Most special moments–sharing, learning, and connection. Diana

Mother’s Day 2024

Sunday, May 12, 2024

Here’s a giant cheer appreciating every mom, whether she’s an original, a step, an adoptee, or an adopted: Happy Mother’s Day! And, a shout-out to the pet moms who wrap their schedules around caring for and protecting their charges. Becoming any kind of mom is taking on a busy role.

Fortunately, today’s weather is beautiful for celebrating moms. I intend to leave my pet mom duties for a few hours and attend a classical music concert. I’ll be among an audience that likely includes lots of moms. It’s a great outing and fun for mom, taking her to lunch and afterward to a concert.

Mother’s Day looks different for everyone. Many see it as a complex, emotional, and mixed-bag-day, forcing a setting aside of family dynamics and having to focus on loving and appreciating. Others see it as an opportunity day that invites expressing warmth, gratitude, and deep appreciation for a mom’s sacrifices and caring.

Maturity can change how people respond to Mother’s Day. The passing of time may lead to developing a more nuanced understanding of our relationship with Mother. We gradually learn it’s possible to acknowledge family imperfections and past conflicts, and still highly value the positive aspects.

Dear Friends: Mother’s Day appreciates a powerful interpersonal relationship. Diana