To Be A Mother
When I think of the years we have been together, it is sometimes difficult
to realize how many of those years have been blessed by the role of
"Mother."
During that time, "Mother" came to mean clear expectations of each
of the children:
- Clean up your room.
- Keep yourself clean when you go to school.
- Make your beds each morning.
- Dust the mopboards of the house.
It also meant there was pride of achievement in the activities of each
child:
- For every activity of school, you were there.
- The children all learned to swim and excel at swimming.
- Good grades and good study habits were deeply ingrained.
- Participation in plays, music, sports, became a way of expression of
personality.
- Every child sang, played the piano, loved music.
Being "Mother" was to set an example of wholesome character:
- Prayer at table was part of the gratitude to God for the richness of life.
- Personal Integrity became a natural way of expressing who we all were.
- Frugality of resources was necessary, but always with the recognition of
the importance of quality.
- Respect for the person of the child was an affirmation of their value.
- Christian Living was always seen as a way of wholesome living.
- When things went wrong, the children knew they were still loved and
supported.
The beauty of Care was also the beauty of Soul:
- Every child always looked well groomed.
- Loving was enriched with family friendship. It was a privilege to be in
the family.
- Every friend of every child was also cherished as love and valued for
themselves.
- "You May was more important than "You Must."
Life together was couched in an atmosphere of mutual love and respect.
Although there was often conflict between parent and child, between child and
child, there was never an expression of unworthiness deprecation toward one
another.
For all of this, and for my love of you as a person, for all you are and
have been in our life together, I thank God you have been the Mother of our
children, and the Grand-Mother of theirs.
Because of you, My Swasa, "Mother" has a richness of meaning for
all of us for which we are very, very grateful.
Your Loving and Appreciating Husband.
Mel
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