Don't give me flowers when I'm dead

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Many years ago, in fact too many for me to remember exactly what happen that day on mother's day my mom said "Don't give me flowers when I'm dead." I was just a teen when she had said that and had no idea what she was talking about. I know it happen after my older brother Bobby had stopped by on mother's day. As usual when Bobby stopped by there was usually a disagreement between him and mom. And that was because Bobby was "six sheets to the wind" as mom put it. Being a teen I really could care less as I had my life to go on with.
But as I got older I always tired to do something nice for mom even if we were broke. I never could forget those words nor did I really have any idea what mom was talking about. And finally after many years I asked mom what she meant by it.
Tearfully she looked at me and sighed,"Noriesse, I meant it like this...If you can not care and love me during each and every day.. If you can not take a moment to do something for me,be it a hug or washing a dish, then don't cry and wail when I'm dead and gone because then it's to late. Flowers no matter what "they" tell you can't fix everything."
Still puzzle by that and I sorta had an idea what she meant I let the conversation go. I mean, I was there every day  while I lived in New Jersey, talked with her every day helped when was needed. When we moved away to South Carolina I still kept in contact weekly and when we did come back for visits I was there helping out.  When mom died I did indeed give her flowers because by then I knew what she meant by her remark by then.
Here it is now what seem to be a century from those time.Living with our extended busy family. Right now due to economics, I am the only one with a stable job and a steady  dependable 40hr paycheck in which to pay all the household bills on. Here it is Mother's day 2010, I have to work this day,and I uttered the same words to my husband Stephen. "Don't give me flowers when I'm dead." He knows what I meant immediately.
I'm sad because I have to leave him and work. I'm very sad because things just are becoming overwhelming for me. The house is messy, I feel I have no life. I wait until I can't stand looking at my home anymore and then I clean up after family that forgets to, or is too tired or just too busy.
Today I do not want to hear from anyone "Happy Mother's Day".  Nor do I want anyone to even remember to treat me special this day. Today, I don't want any momentarily big fuss made,no hugs, no I love yous, nothing.
Because more so than any other time in my life I finally realized what my mom meant by those words uttered tearfully so many years ago.

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