Mothers

There have been many tributes to people's mothers. I get it and it's worthy. Yet there are some for whom Mother has multiple meanings. Me for instance. My mom was killed in a traffic accident when I was 14 years old. I remember her well.. but she was gone to early. I have cousins who are from my moms side and they remind me of her. My late aunt Betty was much like her.

When my mom and dad died (they died together) my brother and sister and I were kept together and raised by wonderful people. My uncle Earl, and Aunt Ruth Redlin. She became Mom. It was a hard task. I have often wondered how they did that. But they did. And I am so grateful to them, and to her. I wasn't easy, but I was raised well the last several years of my life.

Then there is Peggy, not my mother, but he mother of my children. I don't know how I can express how much she means to me and to my boys. We laughed today about memorizes of times we have had. Most of the best ones could have been interpreted as disasters, yet thru a rear view mirror they are the best memories. Things are neither good nor bad in themselves, but thinking makes it so. Sure there is evil in the world, but most of the things we interpret as bad, aren't.

There is then the memories of my Grandmother Redlin who had 17 children one of whom was my dad, and Grandma Lee who had 7. Families were larger then back on the prairie.

I remember them as a young man.. but they only symbolized the heritge of he we are and were.

Now I am that generation. I have outlived Grandma Lee. I am not even close to Grandma Redlin who was widowed with a large family and yet made a hundred as I recall.

So, moms, you matter. Mine matters, All iterations. I can't find a way to honor you enough. So I will do what I can and write about it all.

Happy Mothers Day MOMS