Many happy returns of the day

Yes, I know it is Martin Luther King's birthday. But, on a much more personal note: On this day in history, 1927, my dear mother was born!

There are many things that I admire and appreciate about my mom. Of course, we are not living in la la land here. I am fully aware of the things that didn't go well in my childhood. But, plainly put - big deal. This is not the place to complain and spew forth any venom, and 99.9999999% of the time it is a waste of energy and enthusiasm. I just can't do it anymore.

Back to the admiration: Mom reads, voraciously and always. While I was growing up, she devoured every mystery story in our local library. Now, she still reads mysteries, but loves biography and autobiography, some novels, and reading books about food. She subscribes to Smithsonian and Newsweek magazines, and even shares them with us! She is an interesting person, and continues to learn and grow.

My mom has the most wonderful laugh. One of my roles in life is to crack the jokes, and she fills the house with her laughter. I love to hear it.

I learned a love of beauty from my mom, too. The kind of beauty that chooses a watercolor print, in a simple wood frame, to be the accent in a room. That notices the intricately painted teacup or the beautiful grain of wood on a table. Sometimes this is an expensive pursuit, but most often it involves finding the beauty that is available, and taking the time to enjoy it.

Mom dislikes birthdays. She is not against aging; she doesn't like to be the center of attention. So, we quietly celebrated with burgers and fries (a rare treat for a person with heart disease) and my oldest made cream puffs since she doesn't like birthday cake. Then she went home, content to be quiet and read. And that's dandy. It is, after all, HER birthday. Just bring out the cake and the streamers when it is mine, okay? This is one of those ways that we seem very unrelated to one another. I'll take the books, the laughter and the beauty, though. Those are precious gifts to me in this season of life.

Here's to you, Mamasan. We love you so.