Mother's Day

      My mother has been gone for almost 60 years, and I still miss her. Several years ago I wrote the following item about her for my web page. It lists just a few things I remember – there is no mention of the fact that she was also my cook, maid, shopper, seamstress, nurse, teacher, counselor and general “go to” person for every emergency, large or small.
      And although I suppose she sometimes felt pretty good about some of my small accomplishments, I also gave her headaches which no amount of aspirin could cure. If your mother is still with you, take it from me – you will never be able to repay her for all the hats she wore. Let her know you appreciate her.

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My Mother

      In addition to being a wife and mother, she was a musician, seamstress, and part time waitress. My favorite time of the day was while she had dinner cooking, and with a few minutes of spare time on her hands, she would sit down at the piano and play her favorite songs. Although she studied piano for only one year, she was one of those rare individuals who make the rest of us wannabe musicians jealous - she could listen to the music and then play it, melody, harmony, and rhythm. How I envied that talent! I have been told that she was also a good violinist when she was younger - I regret that I never heard her play.

      She was always active, always laughing, and her laughter was contagious. She didn’t laugh at anyone, yet she always found a reason to laugh with someone. She had an excellent sense of humor.

      She sometimes made her own clothing, but only if she happened to see a pattern she really liked. But she loved to make things for other people, particularly for children.

      She was also an excellent waitress, both a dinner waitress and a cocktail waitress. She worked partly to help out with the family finances, partly because she liked being around people. She was no pushover, however. One evening when she was working as a cocktail waitress at the American Legion Home, one customer was particularly demanding. At the end of the evening he left her a dime for a tip. Picking it up she ran after him and handed it to him, saying, “Here, you forgot your change.” He was a little less obnoxious thereafter.
      Since we never owned a car, mother on her bicycle was a common sight around Manheim. One time she rode to Baltimore to visit her aunt, a distance of almost one hundred miles. It was a two day trip each way.
      She died in 1951 at the age of 46.

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      Somewhere along the way man developed one thing which gave him a huge advantage over other animals: a highly developed brain. We know this because of his tool-making ability, for which evidence abounds, not only in archaeological digs, but also in anthropological studies of primitive tribes which even today turn up from time to time. Although a few lower animals have developed rudimentary tools, none has been able to match even the axes, hammers, arrows and spears ― not to mention the computers, aircraft, economic systems, religions, etc. ― which the human race has invented.

      The Growth Of Language – The Spirit Runs Through It.

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