My Mother

Of course, it is Mother's Day. And I have a mother... and a very lovely and wonderful mother at that. So this is for her.

I have many many memories of the kind things that my mom did for me over the years, especially as a teenager. I was an emotional teen (surprise!). And she was always there to listen to my woes and to encourage me to feel better, to do better, to be better. My mother is patient, and she is kind. She loves little children. She's actually sort of a miracle with children. Of course, I have little patience when it comes to the rug rats, but wow! Children love her and she loves them. Many of my favorite memories of her include times when I have watched her with my nieces and nephews. She cuddles them, and hugs them, and loves them. It is a joy to watch her.

But I want to share a personal memory of my mom, of her example, because it's been on my mind all day long today. Here goes: so I loved this show when I was little - Kids Incorporated. You probably don't know about it. It was sort of the poor man's Mickey Mouse Club. (Because we didn't have cable, what with living out in the country. How primitive, you might exclaim. It was a blessing, if you ask me.) You see, I really and truly wanted to be a member of Kids Incorporated. It was my only hearts desire to sing and to dance. I was often caught in our front living room, jump rope handle in hand, waiting for a song to come on the radio - like Whitney Houston's I Wanna Dance With Somebody - so I could dance around and sing along.

Anyway, Kids Incorporated came on Sunday afternoons. My parents really didn't allow us to watch t.v. on Sundays. But sometimes, well sometimes they would allow it, and I would get to watch my favorite program. That is, until our time for church changed, and we were in church when it was scheduled. I was heart-broken. But getting out of church? Not going to happen. Not in the Fish household, no sir. So one Sunday I came up with a plan. I would be sick.

I think my mother knew.

And the family left me behind. Of course, I was sure my mom had fallen for it. I couldn't wait to watch my show. It was going to be awesome. It's funny how now I don't even remember the show or any of its details. I don't remember the singers. I don't remember the songs. I do remember something else, though. Something that is probably much more important.

After the show was over, I went out to our front lawn. I began singing and dancing and just enjoying myself as I pretended to be the star of the show. I suppose I thought I would see my mom and her large custom yellow and brown van as it headed back to our house. I'm not sure, really. Maybe I just wasn't thinking at all. In any event, I missed that van's return until it was too late. By the time I saw it, I knew my mother had seen me. Singing and dancing around the yard while she drove up the driveway.

I don't remember the punishment, although I am sure there was one. What I do remember is the look on my mother's face. She was disappointed. And she let me know. I hadn't made the right decision to stay home and dance around and play and watch Kids Incorporated.

I don't know if I ever watched the show again after that. BUT...I do know that I never skipped church to watch t.v. again. And I do know that I didn't want to disappoint my mom like that...ever.

So it was a small thing, a childish thing. But this is what I knew about my mother after that. I knew she had expectations for me. I knew she expected me to live up to them. I didn't know when I was a child how difficult it is to punish children. Not a day goes by that a mother with young children doesn't have to deal with some form of disobedience or another. And frankly, it must be sooooooooooo exhausting. I'm sure it would have been so easy to look the other way at my childish behavior, to have said it isn't a big deal...kids will be kids...she's too young to understand.

But that wasn't the example she wanted to set for me. She wanted me to know church was important to her. She wanted me know that it should be important to me. I did after that day.

In this small way, and so many others, my mother taught me. I am thankful for that. I am thankful for a mother who was diligent in setting a good example for me, no matter how small and insignificant it might have seemed.