Today is the first Mother’s Day in my entire long life on which my mom wasn’t alive for me to talk to and thank. Although we’ve lived far apart all of my adult life for decades for many of those decades every Friday before Mother’s Day I’ve called the same St. Louis florist, the florist from whom I’ve bought arrangements for holidays for all of those decades, the florist from whom I bought the corsages I gave to my dates for high school proms, and the standard by which I judge florists, and ordered a large mixed arrangement of spring flowers for my mom for Mother’s Day.
This weekend they received one fewer call.
Now I’m spending a rather glum day, trying my best just to dismiss it from my mind.
I lost my father many years ago. And I recall how significant dates brought the memories and emotions you cite for years thereafter. I wish I had something profound or uniquely soothing to say, but it just isn’t so. Reality can be that way.
It is quite apparent you have a strong family network. I would simply suggest that it is the ultimate safe harbor in which to take some measure of comfort.
At 8:30 this morning I walked my sheltie, Cubbie and the thought that came to my mind on that walk was this. I thought of how each mother’s day you sent mama a beautiful floral arrangement, and I wondered to myself if you remember when you started that tradition, it had been for so many years, that I don’t think I can remember back that far. I had not read your post for today.
I think I began when I started working for the German company. That was more than 30 years ago.