Mother's Day

[Kobi]

Mother's Day means different things to each of us. For some it is a
special occasion, for some it brings mixed feelings, for others sadness
and loss.

I just wanted to wish the Mothers on Planet, a good day, one where
love is shared, memories are created, and laughter is plentiful.

For all of us, I hope it is a day of peace, of remembering....good and not so good for all made us
into the wonderful people we are today, and celebration....in whatever way brings you comfort.

And for my Mom....this poem:

I see you now…
smaller, more fragile,
balancing yourself when you walk
with the wind at your back,
unkind to the wisp of strength
that still clings to your fervent spirit.

I marvel at you every day;
the little things you remember,
the others you forget.
You're content to read grocery ads
now,
find an occasional Western on television,
be treated to a Sunday afternoon lunch,
be remembered on Mother's Day.

I remember when you wanted more,
required meatier tasks to occupy your mind,
found strength in doing, doing, doing.
We repeat ourselves to you now,
explaining again, those things
you cannot deem as important
in a mind crowded
with so many poignant memories.

I pray for patience,
for understanding,
for compassion,
seeing myself in you,
in say, another 20 years.

You walk ahead of me,
striving to maintain your independence.
I trail behind,
unbeknownst to you,
watching, guarding,
lest you might find a need for me.

I watch you, little by little,
slipping away from me.
edging closer to your own
idea of Heaven,
that grander piece of Paradise
that holds the promise of better things to come.

I store the memories of you every day,
struggling to hold on to the vibrance
that you once were,
grasping, with both my hands,
what little bit of life that remains inside of you.

I fear to lose you,
and yet I have, already,
piece by piece,
until a little more of you
is taken from the heart of me.

You walk ahead, I know,
the thin, white hair, unruly now,
the back since bowed,
the skin, an ashen shroud,
that whispers of your fortitude.

And there, in the cruel reality of senility,
I see intermittent flashes…
of the blue eyes that captured untold hearts,
that tempestuous hair that fell flirtingly
across your cheek
when you laughed,
the Dresden complexion
that glowed with youthful
expectation at the mere prospect of Life,

and I remember you,
the way you were,
the way you will always be
to me.

Yes,
I remember… beauty.

--For my mother,
shoronda
krystal

[hpychick]

Kobi -

Thank you so much for your thoughtfulness! What a gorgeous poem; thank you for sharing it!

Sunny

[DomnNC]

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers on the planet. I hope each and every one of you have a glorious celebration of what you are to your children, what you have been and what you will continue to be for them.

I will be heading out in a while to pick up lunch for my parents, my brothers and their spouses and will be celebrating with my mother.

My mother (as well as my father) have been pillars of strength for me all my life. They have been there for every occasion happy or sad, they were totally involved parents in everything that we chose to do in life, be it sports, music lessons, educational endeavors, military service, anything, especially my mother. She has sacrificed her own dreams and wishes for that of our family. She has taught me the meaning of true unconditional love, for you see two of the four children she has are not your typical straight garden variety. She has done nothing but love us and accept us for who we are, unconditionally. She has embraced our spouses as her own and refers to them as her adopted children as well. When my wife passed away my mother was there, like a rock, helping me with funeral arrangements, standing next to me and daring anyone to open their mouth about her daughter-in-law, about us as a couple, daring even my wife's parents or her sisters from uttering an unkind word about my wife or myself. She was there holding me as I cried my broken heart out, crying right along beside me, for me and for her loss as well, she loved my wife just as she did me. My mother will be 75 later on this month and I thank God every day that he has given her the strength to still be who she is. She has a few health issues but nothing major that prohibits her from doing what she truly wants to do. Her mind is still sharp as a tack, her humor and wit still are with her as she can still pull a practical joke as well as the rest of us can. I love my mother (and my father) with all that I am and will protect them with all that I am even if it entails my life ends for them. That is the kind of family honor, family pride and family love that they have enstilled in me. I love you Mama and on this day I honor you for all that you are, all that you have been in my life and all that you will continue to be. This day is for you! Happy Mother's Day!

[Ms. Tabitha]

It's been 16 years since you went home. Your words of wisdom, love and advise echo in my mind and heart daily.
I could never thank you enough for all the love and support that you gave unselfishly.
You and "daddy paw" will always be my greatest loves and I miss you both so much.

Happy Mother's Day Mammow.

A mother is someone to shelter and guide us,
To love us, whatever we do,
With a warm understanding and infinite patience,
And wonderful gentleness, too.
How often a mother means swift reassurance
In soothing our small, childish fears,
How tenderly mothers watch over their children
And treasure them all through the years!
The heart of a mother is full of forgiveness
For any mistake, big or small,
And generous always in helping her family
Whose needs she has placed above all.
A mother can utter a word of compassion
And make all our cares fall away,
She can brighten a home with the sound of her laughter
And make life delightful and gay.
A mother possesses incredible wisdom
And wonderful insight and skill -
In each human heart is that one special corner
Which only a mother can fill!
- Katherine Nelson Davis

[cinderella]

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to all the moms on The Planet.

Mine went home June 5, 1996, and took my heart with her. Mom, not a single day has passed, or passes, that I don't think of you. You are in my thoughts always. I know you are watching over me and keeping me safe. It's you who taught me what a mother's love is, and everyone's love pales by comparison. I hope to be with you again someday - and we shall never be parted again.

God bless all the good mothers on this earth.

[Heart]

www.planusa.org

[Miss Scarlett]

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms.

My Mom was so far from perfect and had nearly as many faults and flaws as me (and mine are too many to count)...but she loved me and my 3 brothers more than anything even though she never actually told us until the last years of her life she spent her entire life showing us.

i have absolutely no memories of being held in a tender, loving way by Mom...not even the hint of one. But there are so many others:

cooking - as long as it could be made with Campbells soup it was dinner;

reading to us at night before we went to bed - both my parents hated "Green Eggs and Ham";

the day she (despite being so self conscious about her twisted back) got into the neighborhood pool so her terrified 8 year old daughter would relinquish her death grip on the pool's edge and learn to swim - this child kept swimming, joined several teams (including college) specializing in the 1500 freestyle;

her being a Girl Scout Troop Leader and Cub Scout Den Mother at the same time;

sewing clothes for me;

cutting my brothers' hair - she only had one cut and was really good at it
cornering me and cutting mine yeah, i wore a scarf on my head for a couple of months;

the summer me and my brothers drove her crazy asking for tuna every day for lunch (so help me we did...LOL);

the day my baby brother and i got her stoned - at her request...she always wanted to try it;

teaching her to disco (also at her request) and her throwing her back out in the process;

her reaction when i finally came out to the family - not good at first but she came around before the end of the conversation;

the first time she told me she was proud of me (in 2006 and i was nearly 47) and it was because of my work in the LGBT community and me not caring about the significant career risks involved;

her insatiable thirst for knowledge that ultimately led her to law school;

watching her in court fighting for children not caring if she made DSS, the Court or anyone else angry over it;

helping her plot and execute surprise birthday parties for my Dad; and

her encouraging us to march in the same parade as the rest of the world but at our own pace or in our own direction and never ever in lock step...

She's not here (she died in 2007) but my memories, including the really bad ones, are always with me and in them i can see her any time i want...

[Tommi]

Happy Mother's Day to those that celebrate and are celebrated.

Special thoughts of my Mom on this day. The one who taught me about matching socks, pants and shirts, and to always open the door for her.

and of all of you.

Bless your pea pickin' hearts.

[Tommi]

Originally Posted by Tommi

Happy Mother's Day to those that celebrate and are celebrated.

Special thoughts of my Mom on this day. The one who taught me about matching socks, pants and shirts, and to always open the door for her.

and of all of you.

Bless your pea pickin' hearts.

RIP

[theoddz]

With much love.....

A Mother's Love -- Jim Brickman (featuring Mark Masri)

Thank you for watching over me
All of the sleepless nights you lay awake
Thank you for knowing when to hold me close
when to let me go

Thank you for every stepping stone
And for the path that always leads me home
I thank you for the time you took
to see the heart inside of me

You gave me the roots to start this life
and then you gave me wings to fly
and I learned to dream
because you believed in me

There's no power like it on this earth
No treasure equal to its worth
The gift of a mother's love

thank you for every sunlit day
that fill the corners of my memory
thank you for every selfless unsung deed
I know you did for me

thank you for giving me the choice
to search my soul til I could find my voice
and I thank you for teaching me
to be strong enough to bend

You gave me the roots to start this life
and then you gave me wings to fly
and I learned to dream
because you believed in me

There's no power like it on this earth
No treasure equal to its worth
The gift of a mother's love

I thank God for a mother's love...



~Theo~

[WolfyOne]

This is a poem I wrote years ago, just after my mom passed away.

It's one of the poems in my poetry thread,
but thought it would be nice to share in this Mother's Day thread, too.


A Mothers Love

Mothers are a special breed
They fill a childs every need
Leading the way with tender loving care
A gift that only mothers can share

Crying with a scraped up knee
Child comes running with a plea
Fix it mom so I can play
With my friends I want to stay

Teenage years filled with growing pain
A mother that's almost going insane
Asking mom, can I borrow the car
I promise mom, I won't go far

Off to college to get a degree
A mothers tears is what I see
Sad to see the child go away
Happy to know she led the way
__________________

[cinderella]

What a lovely sentiment, and how lucky for you to have such wonderful, supportive, and loving parents -esp., your mom - she sounds so sweet and good.

Thank you for sharing this lovely post, Dom. It welled up my eyes to read it - beautiful.

Originally Posted by DomnNC

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers on the planet. I hope each and every one of you have a glorious celebration of what you are to your children, what you have been and what you will continue to be for them.

I will be heading out in a while to pick up lunch for my parents, my brothers and their spouses and will be celebrating with my mother.

My mother (as well as my father) have been pillars of strength for me all my life. They have been there for every occasion happy or sad, they were totally involved parents in everything that we chose to do in life, be it sports, music lessons, educational endeavors, military service, anything, especially my mother. She has sacrificed her own dreams and wishes for that of our family. She has taught me the meaning of true unconditional love, for you see two of the four children she has are not your typical straight garden variety. She has done nothing but love us and accept us for who we are, unconditionally. She has embraced our spouses as her own and refers to them as her adopted children as well. When my wife passed away my mother was there, like a rock, helping me with funeral arrangements, standing next to me and daring anyone to open their mouth about her daughter-in-law, about us as a couple, daring even my wife's parents or her sisters from uttering an unkind word about my wife or myself. She was there holding me as I cried my broken heart out, crying right along beside me, for me and for her loss as well, she loved my wife just as she did me. My mother will be 75 later on this month and I thank God every day that he has given her the strength to still be who she is. She has a few health issues but nothing major that prohibits her from doing what she truly wants to do. Her mind is still sharp as a tack, her humor and wit still are with her as she can still pull a practical joke as well as the rest of us can. I love my mother (and my father) with all that I am and will protect them with all that I am even if it entails my life ends for them. That is the kind of family honor, family pride and family love that they have enstilled in me. I love you Mama and on this day I honor you for all that you are, all that you have been in my life and all that you will continue to be. This day is for you! Happy Mother's Day!