Showing posts with label Anne Lamott. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Anne Lamott. Show all posts

Sunday, May 11, 2014

I am not Anne LaMott and I love Mother’s Day


Just because everyone can’t be a mother does not mean that no one should be or that no one should be honored – that’s like saying we should all get presents on your birthday – really, can we not honor those who are the thing without making it be about how we or those we know are not the thing?  Can we not, for a change, be glad for someone else’s joy without it becoming our sorrow?

Didn’t have a good Mom?  I get that – but you know what?  I bet there was someone in your life who mommed you.  Or someone in your life that you mommed.

What I like about Mother’s Day among so many things is that Anna Jarvis, resident of my home state, one single person, lived in a time when one person could make something happen – perhaps we still live in such a time although it can be harder to see.

So I love Mother’s Day because

1. It reminds me how blessed I am to have and have had the one I do

2. I love home-made cards from the little ones in my life past and present – they rest in my treasure spots all over the house and sometimes on the wall

3. Full employment – when I get cynical that it’s all about making some money for the card and flower and chocolate industries, I think so what – those folks need jobs too

4. A reason, even if an artificial one, to get together with family

5. I don’t know about you, but there aren’t many celebrate me days in my life, so I want to hold on to all the ones I’ve got

6. Did I mention that the woman who started it all came from my home state?

7. In my church (and I don’t think we’re alone in this), we speak of church as family all the time, so Mother’s Day becomes a day to celebrate all the women of the church who are all mothers, spiritual if not biological.  Same with Father’s Day.

8. In addition to cards, I am right fond of flowers and chocolate.

9. Did I mention my great Mom?  Yeah.


Thursday, October 10, 2013

To Fall

wow

to fall
and falling things
leaves wafting
odors mixing
earth with dead things
a last blast of life
before the tides of winter
overwhelm
with that white blanket
of quiet and disguise

fall
the perfect high dive
from the heights of summer
where the moment is
held captive to eternity
and all its blaze

wow


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*An exercise in reflecting on the wow of the seasons, inspired by Anne Lamott’s lovely book Help, Thanks, Wow.