Wisdom from my mother
Happy Mother’s Day, Moms!
I was raised by a good mother. Thank you, universe, because I know I was fortunate…so this year I’m writing my mother a love letter. To say thank you. To say, I’m glad you’re here.
Mother has always been my biggest cheerleader, with a knack for knowing exactly what I need to hear.
She’s a bottom-line kind of mom, at least with me (having 3 sisters, they’ll have to write their own version:).
She didn’t understand a lot of what I was doing as a young adult (Why are you majoring in that? How could you live in that apartment? Please don’t take the subway!), but she cheered me on, trusting my decisions and ready to listen, which was often.
Without fail, each day, she would say to me, Be a lady.
My mother and I became widows within 5 months of each other in the past 2 years, and our understanding of each other has deepened.
She laughs at my stories of finding “me” again, raising my son as a single parent, and figuring out how to navigate the next half of my life.
She’s envious of my open approach, and jokes about her “boring” life…filled to the brim with grandsons, daughters, sons-in-law, and family.
The other day, she said she’d never have thought she’d need a big home at this phase in life, and why is this house always so crowded with people?? As she cooked a huge meal for everyone who came by, just as she does each and every night.
My love of good food and healthy cooking comes directly from Mom.
I wrote a lot about her, and my Dad, in my book, Discover Your Nutritional Style. How grocery shopping has always been a sport in my family; as in, who can find the ripest, most fragrant tomatoes? Which coffee is the most aromatic, and what are we having for dinner for the next 4 days?
All home cooked, with no one allowed in the kitchen but her.
So, for Mother’s Day this year, I’d like to share my best lessons, from Peg.
1) On Eating: Eat whole foods, fresh whenever possible. Eat lots of vegetables, salads, and the occasional fruit. Grow your own tomatoes, and herbs, at the very least. Eat fish. Indulge in an occasional glass of wine. And by all means, if you eat sweets, make it homemade and fresh from the oven (Mom is a terrific baker).
2) On Laughter: Make jokes, all day. Laugh whenever possible. Watch funny TV shows (the Golden Girls is currently on TV all day in her house). Don’t be afraid to be “corny.” Try to make other people laugh with you.
I try to call her each morning to start my day, there are times when I have to pull over while running to laugh at something she’s said.
3) On Love: Be loyal. Be generous. Give. Forgiveness is important. Stick together. Family is everything. Don’t marry a cheap man. It helps if you like the way they look.
She and my father were married for 60 years.
4) On exercise: Walk everywhere. That’s all (she’s never set foot in a gym).
5) On fortune and generosity: Consider yourself a winner. Tell yourself, I’m so lucky! Mom wins all the time, at everything. Always has. Scratch-off’s, lotto, slot machines. She passes out 100 dollar bills to her grandsons.
She used to sneak money to me long after Dad announced it was time for me to make my own way.
Payback for her was amazing. I was an executive for Tiffany, and then Chanel. Mom was first on my list.
6) Build people up. My mother always thought I could do anything, wear anything, be anything. As long as I followed the rules, she gave a long leash. No shaming, needless criticism, or bad mood rants from her.
Her favorite photo of me is when I cut my hair Charlize-Theron-short, about an inch long and very blonde.
I was freaked out.
You don’t need hair, sweetie. This way I can see your face.
I love you, Mom. XOX
What do you love about your mom? Share with me here.
