There are days when I think about my mama
And I see her ways as she goes about her day as if she hasn’t a care in the world
That is never true of just any mama, and with 14 children
I get a headache thinking about a 6-hour visit from a small child most days.
I try to put it in perspective, but there are no slots to put it into
None that fit; how do you give undivided attention to 14 different and very distinct personalities
Yet my mama made it look easy. It was probably as far from easy as the moon is to the setting sun, but she made every day appear as a new beginning, never seen or experienced before.
Mama’s same routine was making biscuits and eggs and gravy for daddy and rice and raisins with cinnamon and cow’s milk for us.
She had so little to work with daily, yet a master chef could not have faired better.
I think of how much money my mother could have amassed teaching lessons on childcare and food instruction.
She sewed, cooked, cleaned, solved social issues, settled children daily squabbles,
And so much more, on very little sleep and with nothing but the basics of provisions.
I can barely stand to hear young women today who complain they don’t get time for themselves and need a sitter or run through the drive-thru to pick up dinner for their husbands.
Or they didn’t get to have their nails done and a million other little selfish things. I lived in a day and time that gave me perspective for all things that Had to get done that were never an option.
Endless hours of hearing complaints but never getting to be the complainer.
She wanted just five minutes to sit and eat a meal rarely afforded her. How many times did I see her down the last bite of the bacon-less tomato sandwich, mainly because someone else had the actual BLT? she would slap a piece of bread around the leftover tomatoes?
Never a woe is me, more like a what do you need? I hear the pain audible just enough to be heard even though she doesn’t realize she uttered a groan from feet long past swollen.
If I could fill even a step in her worn-out shoes, I would be the greatest of women, And I would consider it a privilege to do so.
Some days a girl needs to think about her mother……