To Mom, With Love: HuffPosters Share Their Mother's Day Stories

On Friday, I asked for you to share your Mother's Day Stories, and share you did! While I would have liked to publish them all, here are some that stood out:

Once when I was eight I fell on my bike and hit my shinbone pretty hard. When I came home, only my Dad was there and he bound it up in about 15 yards of bandage and I felt honored and heroic in my bulky bandage like a homecoming warrior. When my mother came in, she took one look at my heroic bandage, unwrapped it and put on a tiny bit of plaster while telling me to stop fussing. I felt both relieved, a bit silly, and a bit disappointed about this anti-climax but realized that was so my Mom - practical, down-to-earth and totally unflappable. My attempts to emulate her in that respect have so far been highly unsuccessful but I'm trying!

- Helle Sannig, Kemer

My mom. I LOVE my mom. I am the youngest of three girls. My mom had me when she was 26. As the older girls started going to school, we had more time together to get to know each other. She encouraged me to be different and silly and smart and well... the person that I am today. When I didn't think preschool was enough of a challenge, she allowed me to be a preschool drop-out. Whee! Years went by, she went back to school in the seventies and then my parents got divorced and she went out in the real world instead of being a stay at home mom. Things haven't changed that much in our feelings for each other. My grandma, my mom and I had a very symbiotic relationship. Now that my grandma's been gone for almost 9 years, it's up to my mom and me to carry on this weird relationship of mutual friendship and support. She is quite a cool mom to support, too. She's a writer. She's funny. She's an activist. She's a builder. She's open to new ideas and adventures. She's my mom! I love Jonquil Wilson!

Erin, San Diego, CA

When I was in elementary school and our first grade class was preparing for a Thanksgiving Day celebration, our teachers sent home instructions (addressed to classroom mothers,naturally) for making costumes for the festivities. For the boys, there were instructions on how to make Pilgrim hats and "Indian" headdresses. For the girls: Pilgrim bonnets. I hated my bonnet. The boys' hats were tall and stately with a shiny tinfoil buckle. The headdresses boasted brightly colored feathers and beads. The bonnets were, in my 6 year old view, dull as dirt and, besides, they made my ears itch. I asked my mom why there weren't any girl Indians. She was quick to inform me that there were, and that the women in many Native American tribes held places of honor and respect. As she relayed all the stories she knew about Pocahontas and Sacajawea, she realized there was something more she had to do. She called my teacher. She spoke with my school principal. She addressed my class. That year, there were more little girls adorned in Native American garb- by their own choosing- than you would believe.

A month later , Mom took on the "separate but equal" grab bags for December's celebrations. In her lifetime. my mother broke barriers , leaving her more traditional career as a teacher to pursue one in the trades. She has been a liscenced plumber, a member of our State House of Representatives, and a candidate for the National Congress. She has also sung lullabyes, consoled nightmares, mended scraped knees, cheered at soccer matches, made a mean pot roast, and successfully raised three confident, capable, and compassionate human beings. And she's not finished yet. Many of the girls I grew up with had moms who told them they could be anything and do anything when they grew up without limitation: very few of them were lucky enough to have mothers who showed them exactly how that's done.

- Julia, Danbury, CT

When I had my son at the age of 23 I was overwhelmed with what to do with this little person that had just entered my life. I knew the only way I could get through the baby years was to move closer to my mom. After arriving in Albuquerque my mom went into full grandma mode. My son still talks about how she would come and get him every Wednesday for "Doughnut Day" and going to different events like the Albuquerque Balloon Festival with her. I cherish the times we went to Lilith Fair together and also to Universal Studios theme park where I made her go on every ride. She was the type of person that everyone knew and when I still go back to the town she grew up in I always have at least one person say "Aren't you Vicki's daughter?" My mom died five years ago and I guess the thing I miss about her most is when she would show up for a weekend or a week to visit and would just take care of me like she did when I was little. I would come home from work to a clean house, my laundry done and something cooking in the kitchen. You never really grow out of needing to be taken care of sometime. I crave that now and I realize it every time I just need my mom.

Aimee, Missoula, MT

At the age of nineteen my mother, then a single college student in 1954, was a camp counselor taking a group of girls for a morning horseback ride in the mountains. She was thrown, and her spinal cord severed, rendering her paraplegic for the rest of her life. Eventually, after enduring numerous surgeries and excruciating rehabilitation, she returned to college, where she met the man who would soon become her husband, and my father. Growing up, my mother's disability informed my every decision, and greatly influenced my perspective of myself, the world, and my place in it. One day, when I was a college student about the same age as my mother when she sustained her life-changing injury, I lamented to her for the ten thousandth time the fact that when legs were handed out by the gods I was last in line and so got stuck with the short, unattractive ones. She responded to me simply, "Kristine, just be glad they work." I have never forgotten those words, which still echo in my ears more than 20 years after her passing, as I strive to raise my own daughter, who will never know her grandmother except through the stories of her that I will tell.

- Kristine O'Daly, Auburn, CA

My mother is a goddess. No, really. Her given name is Aphrodite, which caused her great humiliation growing up during the melting pot era in the Greektown area of downtown Detroit. So, she goes by the nickname Fritz, which was given to her by her brother during their teens. Fritz can fix anything! In fact, when my friends and I find ourselves trying to solve a home repair problem we say, "What would Fritz do?"

She's 82 now, so she's slowing down a bit, but some of her most recent home repairs are replacing her garbage disposal, taking apart her snowblower and re-attaching a part that came loose, replacing the spark plugs on her lawnmower, and cleaning out her gutters. I could go on. I once helped her replace a toilet, and over the years I've seen her take apart and repair washers, dryers and refrigerators, and perform maintenance and reapairs on numerous family automobiles. When I was in high school, she bought a refrigerator that didn't quite fit where the old one was, so she tore down and rebuilt the wall between the kitchen and family room to make it fit. My mom is a true bad-ass, and I feel lucky to have learned how to be a strong woman from her. She was so proud recently when I emailed photos of a new fence I built all by myself. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

- CJ Essa, Austin, TX

My mom wasn't just a regular old mom; my mother was a bit radical for the suburban housewife that she was. She had graduated from Berkeley; she listened to jazz, read loads of books, and was an ardent politico. She was anti-war, pro-choice, and believed in civil rights and civil disobedience.

One August morning the gang showed up for another long day of swimming. A few hours later we were barely water logged and my mom came rushing out into the backyard in her bikini and a New Year's Eve party hat whooping it up like a wild banshee. She hollered at us to get out of the pool because we were going to McDonalds! Back in those days going to a fast food joint was a real treat, and not having a clue why she was suddenly struck with the urge to indulge us in burgers, none of us were going to question her motives; we were out of the pool in no time flat.

Still dripping wet, she shuttles us kids into her VW Squareback and tossed us back a box with party favors in it and said, "adorn yourselves kiddos, we're about to celebrate historical justice." We gleefully pulled out streamers and hats, horns and masks, maracas and tambourines and plotted our procession. "Wait a minute mom, what exactly are we celebrating?" I shouted over the festive cacophony. Suddenly, like a power outage, she stopped the car and turned around and got serious with us. "Kids, last night on television President Nixon read his resignation letter, and today - Friday, August 9, 1974 - it is official, he has resigned. Truthfully the SOB should have been impeached, but the humiliation of his resignation is an acceptable start."

We all marched in to McDonald's in our bathing suits and streamers chanting at the top of our lungs, "Nixon resigned, Nixon resigned, ding dong the Dick is dead, Nixon resigned!" My mom gaily called out above our ballyhoo that hamburgers and french fries were on her. I'm sure that all the other Orange County parents at McDonalds that day didn't appreciate my kooky liberal mom; they looked at her with a contemptuous patrician fear for her un-mother-like aplomb. And you know what? She couldn't care less and neither did we; my mom was cool and she cared about what truly mattered.

- Cat Gwynn, Los Angeles, CA

As always, thank you for sharing your stories -- and please, continue to do so in the comments below! How did you celebrate the mother's in your life today?

Comments

[mbjesq]

I wrote my mom an essay this Mother's Day, as her gift. "Filial Piety Awareness Day" can be read at http://memestreamblog.wordpress.com/2009/05/10/filial-piety-awareness-day/

Happy reading!

[MarMom]

Finished - the Marmom letter

Its because of you that I am who I am today, and I am glad there are days like this that remind me to tell you how important you are to me, because I take it for granted. I wish everyone in the world could have a mother like you, it would be a much better place, not perfect, but damn close :).

Love,

Your Son!!

[Katie Saddlemire - Huffpost Blogger]

Thanks, Marmon! I who your mom sees this ;)

[MarMom]

Katie - thanks. This was what my son sent me for Mother's day. Who could ask for more.

[MarMom]

Continued.

I take so much of my confidence from you, and I am so grateful for you being there.
Even more than this is what you showed me by your example, which is what I believe has the most impact on a person. You are so kind, yet so driven. There is no doubt that one of the reasons I worked so hard in college too achieve a graduates degree in 5 years and get into my first choice company was because of you. I find that I compare myself to you in a good way, always wanting to live up to my mother. You always seem to have a smile on your face, even when you are tired after a long run. You are a happy person and have a great group of friends who love their children too. I can always see how much you love me in your eyes, even when you are super frustrated and yelling at me. You inspire me to be more active, I am constantly playing catchup with you in sports. You have so many characteristics I want to achieve in life, and if I can achieve half of what you have done I will be happy.

[MarMom]

I have to share this.

Hi Mom,

I want to wish you a happy mothers day. I thought about writing you out a list of all the things you have helped me accomplish in life, but every major decision in my life has had your helping hand in it, so I decided to forgo that. Instead I wanted to say to you what it meant for me to have you as a mother. Lately I have been hearing about all these kids who are diagnosed with ADD, and cant help but be grateful you didn't drug me to high heaven. I was probably one of the worst kids out there but you accepted my faults and stuck with me. It was also you who challenged me, wouldn't take a mediocre essay and wouldn't hesitate to call me out on my BS. You always pushed me to do better, no matter what I was doing. You supported my decision to go into art, even when I'm sure you and dad were cringing on the inside. You always smiled when I picked you up from the airport with an empty tank. You fostered my love for reading and supported my addictions, Ill never know how many Starbucks I drank during college. Most importantly you believed in me, which is something I will never forget. Whenever I achieve something in life you are happy for me, but never seem surprised, like you knew it would happen all along.

[Jonahson]

Thank you mother for taking care of me since the day I was conceived in your womb.
Thank you mother for standing by me and console me when I was down.
Thank you mother for looking after me whenever I am sick.
Thank you mother for all the love you gave me.
Thank you mother for all the goodness and guidance you gave me.
Thank you mother for ensuring I get a good meal while you eat last.
Thank you mother for all your worry over me when I got home late especially when there is a storm outside.
Thank you mother for reminding me in case I forget.
Thank you mother for looking after all my needs and never letting me go hungry.
Thank you mother . Thank you mother.
I know nothing I do will ever repay your love for me.
I shall do my best the duty as a son, I shall take care of you in old age, always love you, be patience with you as you have been patience with me all those years.
Mother’s day will be everyday.

[elaygee]

This was the first Mother's Day since Mom, Regina Glinzman (born Rosa Feld) died. She was born in Antwerp, Belgium in 1935. When she was 6, her father was arrested and deported to Auschwitz where he was killed shortly after arriving. Her mother took Mom and her sister to the underground organization that hid Jewish children throughout WWII. They were never apart but never saw their mother agan either, She too was taken to Auschwitz and kiled on arrival.

They lived in homes and orphanges, sometimes treated well, sometimes starved. They survived the bombardments of both sides in the Battle of the Bulge by living in holes dug in the cellars,

She came to Amerrica with her sister Estella (Stella Feld) in 1947, went to school, got married and somehow, with not a lot of personal experience to guide her, became a mother to three children. I don't know where the strength or knowledge came from but she did an outstanding job of loving, educating and helping us to become all we could be.

She deserved more than she got, She earned it the hard way.

[Katie Saddlemire - Huffpost Blogger]

Amazing story, thanks for sharing.

[rnelsonbrown]

Dear mom

You and dad split up when i was five and sis was three. I haven't seen you since.

Dad says it was all your fault, but i have a hard time believing him. They say it takes two to tango. I am sure that you have your side to tell, but i have yet to hear it.

On the other hand, you have never done anything to get in touch with me that i know of. I have a hard time understanding that.

Now no one knows where you are.

here's hoping that you are ok, and that one of these days i can understand

I miss you.

Your son

(i write this because every time this mothers day thing rolls around, i really don't know what to do, although i feel i should do something. I am sure there are a lot of others out there who have similar issues. Maybe we should have a national unMothers Day or something.)

[seattle music]

Thanks for your post.

My mother didn't abandon me physically, but she chose the bottle and pills over her children when we were very little. I deserved better and so did you.

On Mother's Day, I give thanks to her for giving me life and for what she did do for me -- occasionally feeding me and clothing and taking me to the doctor when I almost died. It wasn't enough (a little love and LOT fewer beatings would have been nice) but it was something.

I also make it a point to send out gratitude to all the surrogate mothers who helped me survive: my older sisters who tried to mother me as best they could, teachers, neighbors, mothers of my school friends, my grandmothers and aunts, the nuns at my school, etc. When your mother either abandons you or is a raging, abusive drunk then it really DOES quiet literally take a village to raise a child.

Happy Mother's Day to my mother, your mother and the mothers of the village. Without these women -- even the ones who failed to give us what we so desperately needed -- we never would have made it this far.

[alwaysthere]

im a just a guy who had to be a Mother
how pathetic can that be....
and every mother's day
the ghost of mom
comes out to haunt me......

[Ed and Deb Shapiro - Huffpost Blogger]

Hi Katie,

Thank you for the post!

I don't really have a story but I was told my mother was wonderful - she died when I was 5 days old-

Deb's mom is just great- i love her lots.

Joyfully,

Ed

[VOTER]

At 85, my mom is a remarkable lady.
Funny as all heck and though living alone since my dad died, she
still bakes her own breads, cookies, cakes, etc and prepares her delicious
dishes. This keeps her going.
She taught me how to bake white, wheat, rye and pumpernickel breads when I
was only 8 or 9 years old. Soon this was one of my regular chores.
One day, before my lessons, I attempted to bake a free form, LARGE,
round rye loaf and whoa......­.........i­t nearly toppled the entire stove and broke
the oven. I can still see her face when she opened the oven door and saw
this MONSTER SIZED "bread." The thing was rising and
not stopping.
My mom looked at me and said, "What a nice surprise. I
didn't know you wanted to help with the baking. Tomorrow, we will bake dinner rolls together."
Needless to say, we never ate the Monster but the next day, I successfully made
my first 2 dozen dinner rolls. Clover leaf.

[raven29520]

My mom is a wonderful person. She raised me and my sister by herself. She divorced my dad when I was in First grade and my sister was in kindergarten. My dad divorced us also. I am in my second year of college now. My sister graduates high school in June of this year. She quit her job of sixteen years to have a more flexible schedule to keep us involved in sports and things. Her job would not allow her to do that. She was a lab tech working 12 hour shifts. She started her own business doing exams for the insurance companies and now she sells insurance. She kept me involved in scouts, sports and school events. She kept my sister involved in gymnastics and scouts. We were also went to church events. We were doing things everyday. Now I look back and I don't know how she did it. She was one strong woman. My mom has recently got sick. I have offered to quit school to be with her and she will not let me. She said to me, "I have given my life for you and your sister. Let my life stand for something by making a life of your own. I have given you the foundation and you have the tools. My body means nothing, but my soul will always be with you no matter what."

[Gwen07]

HuffPost's Pick

Dear Mom:
I'd like to think you are still cooking, cleaning, and doling out wisdom, "Girl, guilty about working? you kids would have run all over me!"

I'm not particularly religious - that's your fault. You who made sure I was presentable before giving me money to put in collection, sending me on my way. If you had the strength (after 40 hr. weeks in L.A.'s. sweat shops) to go you would have known I seldom gave your hard-earned money to the church - they had enough I figured. I bought ice cream. Yep, truth will out you used to say. There were times I never made it to mass; those days when the Baptists' music was much more fun. Catechism's Loaves & Fishes, they had it wrong - you were my God - you did that 'loaves & fishes' thing a lot.

I saw you in 1968 with my grammar book practicing so you could get that receptionist job. Oh, it was me who put that Ray Charles album on the turntable when you told daddy to "get out!" I knew you two couldn't resist. You didn't as I watched my beautiful parents dance.

By now you know we didn't bury you "...face down..." a last command for enemies. We didn't sprinkle your ashes over J.C. Penney's . We will never let you out of our hearts. I bought gold spray paint - threatening to paint anything standing still. "Just like your mother!" Me, smiling.
Happy Mother's
Your fifth-born,

[Biff Stiffley]

One day my Mom comes to me and asks, "Can I borrow three cents?"

"Sure." I said, reaching into my pocket.

"No, wait." Mom said. "Here's ninety-seven. Gimme a dollar."

[boogiewoman]

I miss my Mom who died 13 years ago. She raised 8 children on her own, never on welfare or foodstamps, never got child support. Divorced my father on grounds of drinking Canada dry. In the seventies one good catholic should never divorce. But she did and we are better for it. She fought for poverty programs and the disabled, even though it was tuff for her to put food on the table. So on this Mothers Day, I cry a little and laugh a little for the strongest woman I'll ever know.

[kareemachan]

I miss my mother so much. She died 10 years ago of early-onset Alzheimer's, and it was a tragedy to see her go downhill like she did. There's been so many times since then when I wished I had her wisdom and experience to help me (especially raising kids!), and I still dream about her, good dreams. Mom, I love you, especially today when I'm being cosseted. I wish you were here for me to honor you.

[woodcut]

Not a happy comment. Abusive, homophobic, spiteful Mothers get no card today. Sad when nothing's left, & Mom's still alive. I know. My Mom became more ashamed of my being gay as she got older. It's not dementia, because she adores & dotes on my cousins. Mom & I haven't spoken in years & it's likley we'll never see each other again. There was a time it was all OK & I cherish those memories!
I send love to the many children who have living Mothers, but with whom all attempts at reconciliation have ended nowhere. My love to those kids.

[kareemachan]

I'm sorry for you - and for her. Maybe someday she'll understand what she set aside.

[CynAnne]

So sorry that your mother doesn't appreciate who you are, woodcut..you have my sincerest hopes that you and she may still reconcile, and she will accept whatever life makes you, her child, happy. I would love to be able to call my mother or mother-in-law to wish them a Happy Mothers Day, but all I can do is send my prayers to Heaven (where I know they are). And I can send wishes for a Happy Mothers Day to my fellow HuffPos..hugs to all of you! =) ...

[woodcut]

Thanks for support from all.
My Dad died slowly from Alzh's & I think my Mom is depressed & shutting me out.
I may call her on a non-holiday & see what happens.
====
I appreciate support -- but you all use this space to honor your Moms. I just wanted to reach out to others in my situation.

[topkatnc]

It is so sad when they can't remember you...It may help her if you call her more...Good luck with her...Take good care of her...It is a horrible feeling when both parents are gone.

[mandycat]

I ran across a column several years ago with a suggestion for those of us who got somewhat shortchanged in the mother department. The writer recommended that we compile our own set of mothers, a set because it's difficult to find all the characteristics of the idealized "Mother" in one human being. We should look for someone who can give us good practical advice, for someone else who will approve of us no matter how many mistakes we make, for someone to laugh with, for someone we would be happy to care for when needed.

When my mother died, my husband thought I would regret not attending her funeral. That was more than ten years ago and I've never regretted it. She was a fluffy Southern-fried narcissist who spent a lifetime pretending to be someone she wasn't and humiliating her children if they didn't measure up as supporting players. Going to her funeral would have been her last triumph: the final face-saving lie that mattered a thousand times more to her than any truth.

[woodcut]

You helped me more than you'll ever know. I really hope you read this. Thank you.

[topkatnc]

My ex-husband had the same kind of Mother that you had....She should never had children....My ex was scarred because of her....She ruined alot of people's life...I was so lucky to have the Mother that I had...