The month of May brings not only flowers, but celebration of our mothers and our graduates. May is that time of year that we enjoy nice spring weather and the landscape of tulips, roses, petunias, marigolds, azaleas, and other flowers that bloom all around us – although this year it appears as if we have skipped spring and gone directly to summer with 90 plus degree weather.
In all of the heat and rain that we may experience this month, I hope we all find time to celebrate our mothers and our graduates. I consider my mom as a best friend and truly value the many life lessons that she has instilled in me. Simple lessons like, “treat everyone the way you want to be treated,” “good things come to those who wait,” and my favorite, “you can accomplish anything you desire with prayer, hard work, and a commitment to reach your goals.” My mom enjoys receiving flowers to plant in her garden for Mother’s Day, and that’s often part of her gift. Although the real gift is the time that we spend together, not just at Mother’s Day but throughout the year. This gift of flowers often means my mom, my sister, and myself having a girl’s day out – lunch, a little shopping (not including the flowers), a lot of laughter, and finally a trip to a local nursery to find the perfect blend of spring colors for her flower garden. I wouldn’t trade these moments for the world. Today and every day I celebrate my mom, Alease. I celebrate her for her unconditional love and how she demonstrates each day what it means to be a mother and a person who genuinely cares about others.
The graduates in my family this year happen to be two of my favorite people: my niece & nephew – Isabella & Jeremiah. Admittedly, the rising middle schoolers are now nearly as tall as I am. I’m beginning to remind them that they while they may grow taller than me, I will always be older. As they prepare for middle school, I can’t help but reflect on their first day of preschool when they were hesitant to leave the comfort of home, and how now they are able to maneuver the life of busy ten year olds. As is the case with many children, they are certainly busy with activities such as sports, tutoring to enhance their reading and math skills, horseback riding lessons, art classes, and Boy Scouts. I’m always in awe of them juggling their busy schedules and remaining committed to making the honor roll and upholding their character word of the week. They’ve learned early what some learn much later in life – always do your best. If you ask them what three words they use to keep them on task, they are quick to say – discipline, focus, and positive. Three words that I used with them in second grade to help them stay on task in school or whatever project they may be working on. In fact, they now encourage me to use the same three words when needed.
In celebration of mothers and graduates, I encourage you to read the following books:
• Mother: a Cradle to Hold Me by Maya Angelou
• Mom: a Celebration of Mothers from StoryCorps
• Mom Candy: 1,000 Quotes of Inspiration for Mothers
• Oh, The Places You’ll Go! by Dr. Seuss
• Junie B. Jones is a Graduation Girl by Barbara Park
• The Crossroads of Should and Must: Find and Follow Your Passion by Elle Luna
Photo via ajagendorf25