Happy Mothers Day

There's no Hallmark card here, not in this antsy painting I did last night, while icing my knee--a four times a day activity with only minimal results. I got some bad news last Wednesday: There's no easy fix; I need a knee replacement.(Now there's a gift idea). Then the doc tells me: It's painful and recuperation takes three months with religious rehabilitation. I was not happy--and today, I don't have my kids around to cheer me up--or my moms to tell me what to do: Now? Then? When? This mothers day, I could really use my moms.



When lots of young, still in the game moms and their kids are going out to brunch, Honey and I will be going to the cemetery to visit ours. Our stones are in the car. They're the caliber the other old kids with pea pebbles off the ground will envy and probably steal. I wish we could have gotten our moms bracelets instead.

When our moms were alive, after a week of daily phone calls, they'd still show up on Sunday afternoon to see for themselves their children and their children's children in the flesh. Most times, we felt invaded. We were kids. What did we know about no one is forever? Times were different then. Everyone lived in the same city and in the same neighborhoods close to one another--so close we took each other for granted. We didn't know how good we had it, till we didn't have it anymore. Family members died. Kids moved away. Shit happens.

For us without, Mothers Day is a day of regrets for not cherishing those moments at the moment. To be invaded today--to return their hugs,to see them qvell every time they looked at us, (a Jewish word that means swell with pride), to have them bombard us with questions with sincere interest, to ask their advice and soak in their wisdom would be highly welcome--and highly unlikely, if not down right spooky. Today all we can be is thankful Honey and I were gifted with two of the best moms who loved us with all their hearts even though we were real pains in the ass.

Were they here today, I'm certain, those two meddlesome, prying bullies would tell me over the deli tray, to stop with the self pity and get on with it. "Get that knee done while you're as healthy as you'll ever be."

Bess, Essie, forever in our hearts.




GIFTS FROM MY BOYS:


In those days, a florist, a potter, a sculptor.










These days, a PhD and software developer for Microsoft, an MD Obgyn Perinatologist, a Master Automotive Technician for Honda. Any day, put those pitas together in a room, they make our hearts sing.