Lori Pelikan Strobel’s teatime
The teacups are set out over the lace tablecloth. One teacup is from Ireland, one from Germany, and one from the Czech Republic. These cups represent our heritage, as well as the ritual of having tea with mom. The teas are chosen, too – one decaf green tea, a pomegranate, and a mint medley.
The teakettle whistles like a train horn to let me know it’s time. It’s Tea Time.
Time to sit with my daughters in the evening and to chat, to watch TV, and to read. Most likely we will be doing all of these at the same time because we are mulitaskers. This teatime is something I still do with my mother, too. It has been passed from one generation to the next, and it makes me happy when we have tea. I smile knowing that this is a mother’s day. Any day can be Mother’s Day.
I don’t really need Mother’s Day to celebrate motherhood. Other days feel like Mother’s Day all throughout the year to me. It’s actually better than having just one day. I know this because of the gifts (like teatime) that my mom passed to me. I have, in turn, passed them to my children in everyday (life) moments.
My mother has taught me to be a wonderful mother by her example of love, trust, and communication. And, by being an intelligent, caring woman. She has taught me the importance of family bonding by making sure, as a child, that our family’s needs were put first and foremost before all else. I love the fact that even now she encourages me to strengthen the bond of my family unit by ensuring that I put my family’s needs before other family commitments.
I am grateful for how she has instilled the importance of being together as a family. I see the happiness on my mother’s face when she has my brother and his wife, me and my husband, and all of the grandkids together. A moment like this is a winning jackpot. It doesn’t happen often enough. However, appreciating when the moment does happen is a happy mother’s day, even though it’s not on Mother’s Day.
Gifts gleaned from mother to a child can be recognized on any day. Some of the every day moments I have learned and passed on are: the making of cinnamon and sugar toast when you’re sick makes you feel better; washing clothes in TIDE is the only way to get them clean; Ponds cold cream takes off eye make up; shop savvy and save wisely; reading can inspire; be grateful and say your prayers nightly; faith is a gift to yourself to hold on to and to share.
The most recent lesson is that you are never too old to learn something new, like zip lining—way to go, Mom, who is seventy-three years old—and has also taken up yoga.
So, I hope that I have not only passed on the fact that TIDE is the secret to clean clothes, but that any day can be a mother’s day. When your children carry on the love, compassion, and respect that you have taught them, that makes for a happy mother’s day.
But, just in case my kids think that they don’t need to do anything for me for Mother’s Day … I still expect a card!
Lori can be found at http://www.bookbodysoul.com