A Question From My Mother--
on Mother's Day
You would have liked my mom. She was energetic beyond her years. (She got carded when I took he to a movie and she asked for the senior discount. You had to be 55 and this was her 65th birthday. The cashier was shocked.) She was creative, off the chart, and only some of her creativity was expressed artistically. Every afternoon there were kids at our house to hangout with my mom! (Even when my brother and I were not there.) Her joi d'vivre extended into every corner of her life as a wife, mom,
speech therapist, theatre teacher, Sunday school teacher, wedding
director, poet, decorator, and life coach .
On several occasions, when I was frustrated with home work, my mom was both helpful
and inspiring. "Why don't you put that stuff aside for a bit," She'd say, "And work on something you enjoy for a while."
"Now?" I'd ask.
"No." she'd say, "Right now!" And slam my text book closed as I headed for the nearest sketchbook or pile of stuff that was my latest miniature edifice for my train set. (I like model railroading more for the buildings and towns than the trains. Most buildings were fashioned from scratch not from a kit.) My mother's point about homework vs. something passionate was, the time to start or continue a favorite project is NOW.
She was also had strong opinions about life issues. One area of her concern was decorum, propriety in manners and conduct. Rarely, though, did she press strangers on her guidelines. One exception was whenever she encountered any gown women wearing hair curlers in public--even the grocery store--she did not hesitate to ask, "Where are you going later that's more important than where you
arenow?"
Needless to say, this elicited a wide range of reactions--not all of them fun-loving.
Not everyone would have agreed with or sparked to my mother's diversion-from-homework idea. 
Having just returned from speaking and teaching at a speakers conference, I am headed for a writers conference next week. At all such gatherings--indeed virtually everywhere I speak--I encounter people who tell me, "I'm going to write a book someday." (Substitute "write a book" with any project on your someday I'll ...list.)
If my mother was here today, or better yet, there, with you, she'd ask, "What are you doing today that's more important that what you really want to do?"
How about taking an hour, or three, off to work on, start, make a dent in one of your many dream projects. I'll be at one of my favorite dinners, or neighborhood bistros writing, rewriting, and editing one of three new books I'm creating. Sounds like work, but I love it so, while it is effort, it is enjoyable effort.
Thanks mom.
McNair
P.S. What great little lessons did you learn from your mom that you still use today and pass on to others?
* My mother's spirit is woven through ever part of my life even though she has been gone since July 1992. (Neither of the pictures, above, are my mother.)
