On Mother’s Day I must say thank you:

• Thank you to my daughter, my first born, who made me a mother and a mother of a daughter.
• Thank you to my son, my second and last born, who made me the mother of a son.
• Thank you to my mom who loved me and demonstrated that love through the care she took of me as I was growing up and continues to demonstrate with the advice, concern, gifts and treats she continues to send my way.

The legacy of love and responsibility that my mother gave to me came from her mother, who was called Mother with a capital M by my family members.  Until she passed, Mother’s house was a place where the family gathered every Wednesday to share a meal, swap stories and gossip, celebrate birthdays and milestones, and love each other up.

Now the motherhood torch has passed to my daughter who is doing an incredible job of mothering my granddaughter, a step-son and a teenager she recently adopted.  It is always one’s hope that you’ve passed on to your children good things – values, habits, love and well-being.  Amber has taken those and gone further with them.  She is an outstanding Mom, more mature and organized than I was when I embarked on the motherhood journey.  I am so proud of her.

My message to my children on this Mother’s Day is that I love you.  When I pass – and I hope I am writing these words years before you’ll have to follow my advice – please don’t mourn me by tending a graveside, crying and feeling sad.  Honor me by:

• Remembering how I liked to dance and dancing in my honor. You can dance alone or get dressed up and go out to a nightclub like I loved to do.  Just dance!
• Remembering how I liked to walk and taking a long walk in my honor.  It doesn’t matter whether you walk on a beach, in a park or through a crowded city neighborhood.  I loved walking in all those settings.  Your mind will be eased as you walk, I promise you.
• Remembering how I liked to cook (and eat) and enjoy a meal in my honor.  If you make the meal yourself, always use cloth napkins because that was one of the things I always liked to do.  If it’s at a restaurant, savor the meal and the setting. Leave a generous tip.
• Remembering my love of reading and curl up with a printed (not electronic!) book and be spirited away into a fictional place or thrust into a historic account or informed about the world around you or moved by poetry.
• Remembering my love of music and listening to any type of gorgeous music you can especially live music.

In other words, celebrate me by celebrating life – live your lives as fully as you can.  Do not waste time mourning.

I love you, Amber and Cy.  Thank you again for making me a mom, your mom.  There’s been no greater honor in this world!