When asked, “What are you doing for mom this year?” the women of Charles & Colvard had many responses: chocolates, flowers, a pajama-gram, 2 dozen roses, Barbara Walter’s newest book, Audition: A Memoir, a UNC garden gnome, a digital photo frame loaded with memories, a Notre Dame corn sack game and of course several women mentioned MOISSANITE with enthusiasm!
Well, what woman doesn’t love moissanite?
Frankly, I haven’t met one!
And, although I wanted to write this blog about mothers—I was a little torn about the message as I wanted to talk more about all those feelings and emotions behind Mother’s Day gifts.
Last night my friend Sande called to catch up. She filled me in about her family’s Passover, we talked about the passing of our friend Myra and she gave me the update on her daughter, Dana, being a “fantastic” new mom. She just couldn’t stop referring to her grandson, Max as “delicious”. Last week, another friend e-mailed me about her daughter being selected for a lead role in a middle school play and her cheerleader tryouts. And, yet another friend e-mailed me about her 14 year-old son being a star in lacrosse and he was selected (with 19 other students) to run the government of Beverly Hills for a day!
As we approach or pass 50 (not the speed limit but age) life appears differently, as if we were looking through new lenses than those that we used when we were 25 or 30.
While not all women are mothers, we all are daughters.
That commonality is undeniable. We daughters have many similar “mom” stories. Thinking about all the women at Charles & Colvard—some are only daughters as I am, others are mothers and we also have a few nanas or grandmothers and even great-grandmothers amongst us.
Mommies, mamas, moms, mothers or whatever you call them–are incredible individuals. Scanning for mommy stories as you walk the halls of Charles & Colvard is a heart-warming experience. One single mom lights up when she proudly speaks of her 5 year-old daughter. We have our own C&C marathon-running mother with 3 sons—all under the age of 7! I wonder if she gave birth while wearing sneakers? One C&C woman director baffles me with all the activities she does for her sons, after office hours (Boy Scouts, piano lessons, baseball, football and basketball games and school plays). And another woman can delight you with her stories of her 91 year-old mom who runs circles around everyone, is a pro with a Swiffer and never misses an appointment with her hair colorist!
Plus there are some incredible women who are moms and are married to men at C&C. Let’s see: there is a soccer mom/coach who is a tireless volunteer at her children’s school and schleps her sons between baseball, basketball and football games. You’d really believe that she has the black belt in motherhood, rather than her 10-year old Tai Kwon Do son! Another mother clocks 75 miles on the family car, each day, just driving their son to and from a school that addresses his special needs! And there is another mom who left her husband specific instructions about the Easter baskets that he needed to assemble in her absence…as she was spending the holiday weekend with their eldest daughter who lives in New York.
Mother’s Day is the perfect occasion to tell your mom how valuable and respected she is. Several years ago while I was taking a seminar, the instructor told a story about giving his mother the ultimate gift, a letter of thanks for everything he could remember that his mom did for him over the years.
In 2000 that’s what I did and the letter was 7 pages, typed and filled with all the “thank you’s” I wanted to repeat or say for the first time. As I share a few points in my letter to my mom, I want to say “Happy Mother’s Day!” to all women as you are as incredible as moissanite is unique and you are every bit as brilliant!
…you have influenced me, helped to form my values and shape my outlook on life. You’ve been a role model as to what it means to be a contributing citizen, a thoughtful neighbor, friend, a loving human being and a person who wants to make a difference in this world.
You have encouraged me, dried my tears, applied band-aids to my “owies” and “ouchies”, and kissed away the pain.
Thank you for the many times you laced up my ice skates after walking me to the skating rink. You were there to encourage me and dust the snow off when I fell.
Thank for always being the taxi driver carting me to slumber parties and school activities. Even during my teen years when I “knew” everything and didn’t “need” you anymore (I thought) —you were there for me.
So for all the times when you hugged me—over the years, and I didn’t seem to appreciate your hug—please forgive me. Your hugs are priceless! Although I am miles away as I write this—I can close my eyes and feel the sensation of one of your hugs.
Thank you for being the best Brownie Girl Scout leader and caring about what your daughters were doing in school and after school.
For all those times during the past years when I hurt your feelings—please know I am truly sorry and forgive me.
Thank you for reassuring me about not being a failure when I got a divorce.
Thank you for teaching me to respect someone else’s property and making me scrub clean the playroom walls after I wrote all over them with colored chalk!
So, to all women, Happy Mother’s Day!
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