Around the Bluhmin’ Town

By

Judy Bluhm

How was your Mother’s Day? It’s a special day in honor of motherhood and celebrated in over 100 countries. During and after the Civil War, peacemaker Ann Jarvis, made the effort to foster friendship between mothers on both sides of the war. It was “Mothers Friendship Day” and was the beginning of our current holiday. President Woodrow Wilson signed “Mother’s Day” into law in 1914, as a national observance celebration.

Mother’s Day ranks as one of the biggest holidays in America. It ranks third in giving of flowers, right behind Christmas and Hanuka. We collectively spend about 35 billion dollars on gifts for our Moms, mostly on jewelry, plants, candy and going out to eat at restaurants. Mother’s Day is also the highest call volume day of the year, with 122 million phones ringing to send our love.

Mother. One small word. One universal meaning. We are all bound by the shared reality that we had or have a mother. This is a central person in our lives. The foundation of our history. A huge part of our personal journey and earliest memories. She is the reason that we are here and the person who probably shaped us into who we are today. “Mom memories” linger for more than one day. Get out the photo album and take time to reflect. Maybe grab a box of tissues.

Mothers gave us our roots. They knew us before we knew ourselves. Their memories of us go far and beyond what we can conjure up. They were another generation, perhaps a whole other era, yet they remain relevant in a timeless fashion throughout our lives. There is always some new information to learn about (and from) our mothers.

My mother is in heaven now. She gave me, my daughters, and grandsons quite a few cooking lessons. She perfected the art of baking to a level that few of us (me) will ever reach. Her secrets? Use the best ingredients or your cake will flop. And be patient because delicious things can happen for those who wait. Bread rises slowly. Don’t rush it.

Moms come in all varieties. A man emailed me to say his mother wasn’t exactly June Cleaver from “Leave it to Beaver.” He said, “My mother was an engineer, drank hard liquor, smoked cigarettes, swore often, loved to gamble and never cooked.” He pointed out that she was “very loving” and believed in the “freedom to be yourself.” Sounds like a beautiful life lesson. Mothers keep teaching us throughout their lives. The lessons never end! Stand up straight! Eat your vegetables! Keep trying! Study! Work hard! Get plenty of sleep! Budget your money! Have faith! Be kind!

Lessons, like ideas, come in many shapes and forms. Moms seem to specialize in handing us recipes that we might put to good use in our lives. The kitchen is only one small part of the “cooking class” that takes place. Life is like cookie dough. So how is yours shaping up? Dear Readers, it is never too late to search for the best ingredients in life.

Mother’s Day. Take plenty of Mom-ents this week to bask in memories.

Judy Bluhm is a writer and a local realtor. Contact Judy at [email protected] or visit www.aroundthebluhmintown.com.