The Things My Mother Taught Me

My mother adopted me when she was well into her forties. She was raised in the Great Depression era. Her mother died at an early age. I remember her telling the story of when her mother died and how her lifeless body was put on the dining room table until they were able to take her away and in those days it was not a expedient process. She was fourteen. She married my dad, whom she saw at a USO club and told her girlfriend that she was going to marry that short guy over there. Years later after she had tried unsuccessfully to get pregnant, they were station in Japan and there they went to an orphanage where I was adopted. Their first look at my picture elicited the words, "but I thought we were adopting a girl." "Hai, Hai" said the orphanage director. I was all of three, barefoot, in overalls, and had a bowl haircut. My mom said that when they brought me home, I could speak to the Japanese maid, but I was still terrified of the strange people that brought me there. She said when she went to get me in my room I was no where to be found. They eventually found me hiding in the closet, with my nap sack with my clothes from the orphanage and my one sole possession, a ball. My mother is gone now and I have followed in her footsteps, adopting a little girl from China, paying it forward and on this Mother's Day these are the things my mother taught me.
Always take a sweater in case you get cold

Always pee before you leave the house for a long car trip

A love for all animals

Keeping an open mind and exercise tolerance

Her love of adventure and travel

and most importantly

And her love of home and family

Happy Mother's Day Mom, always in our memories, always in our hearts.