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I am writing this on Mother’s Day morning and it just did not feel right to write another blog about sports, especially when I was thinking about what this day means to me. My wife and, I am sure, many other wives and mothers, have said many times: “You men have it so easy”. Honestly, by comparison, I cannot even whimper a mild protest. As a tribute to the mothers I have known in my life, let me offer up evidence that my wife and other women like her are 100% correct.
My mother – She raised four children, first as a stay-at-home mother and, then by necessity, both a mother and a full-time wage earner. Both my brother and my father contracted tuberculosis, sending both away at different times in their lives (my brother in high school; my father after my brother came home from the sanitarium). It became my mother’s burden to care for the four of us, keep the house, earn enough money to pay the bills, and visit my father as often as possible. He was four hours away in Altoona. She found a job within walking distance because after experiencing a car accident early in her twenties, she never wanted to drive again. So she walked to work every day. We all survived until we lost my sister to cancer; my father eventually was cured; and my mom more than persevered.
My mother-in-law – If you can, imagine leaving the country of your birth, settling in Germany during wartime, and then making the decision to leave it all behind and come to America with your husband and baby daughter for the opportunity to create a better life. That opportunity required two years of labor on a farm to pay off the cost of passage paid by the farm owner. Once the debt was paid, uproot again and come to Easton to start another new life. She kept the house; she worked full time on a sewing machine in a clothing factory; had another daughter; and was the best cook you could imagine.
My wife – We had two children very, very early in life. Being a mother should not happen during the teenage years, but it did. Despite her youth, my wife never abdicated any of the responsibilities of being a mother. She raised our two daughters to be responsible beings while working as a dental assistant, an executive assistant, and finally as an entrepreneur owning her own business. She was successful doing it all, but being a mother was always her primary responsibility and her greatest accomplishment.
Our two daughters – We have three grandchildren and our daughters have good reason to be proud of all of them – one taking on the challenge of a life in the theater; another working in higher education; and another working for the state government in Harrisburg. Both daughters are successful in the medical field and happily married. They have always worked full-time while raising their children. They were certainly role models for their kids. So far, motherhood goals have been accomplished.
All are close enough to keep tabs on everybody and get together many times during the year. Until now.
Our grandson has found a mate. She is a doctor of veterinary medicine specializing in equine medicine. Her new job will take her to Chicago and, therefore, our grandson will follow. He is uprooting to a place that is rather far away and visiting in person will be rare. He will work at Loyola of Chicago University and has made a major career advancement. All we can do is be happy for them and wish them great success. (And be sad for their absence).
We will all do that today as we celebrate Mother’s Day with the family and have a chance to send the new couple off to their new life.
It is obvious that the jobs assigned to mothers are many and varied – keep the house, make the meals, work to help support the family, accommodate one’s mate, raise the children, and send them off into the world. As I write this, we are all getting together today to honor the mothers of the family. They deserve more than one day.
And…I can only come to the conclusion that my wife is right – We men have it so easy!!
Happy Mother’s Day!
ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS)
- My boyhood hero, Willie Mays, turned 90 this past week and was honored by the San Francisco Giants. I remember trying to bat like him, catch a ball like his famous basket catch, and acquire his mannerisms. He was a New York Giant then. The “Say Hey Kid” looked spry when he was honored this week even though he is the oldest living Hall of Famer.
- Get familiar with the term NIL (name, images, and likenesses). College athletes are closing in on being able to sell those three entities in order to capitalize on what they bring to a college and university athletics. Legislation is occurring in both the state and national branches of government. It will happen.
- What “might or might not” happen are the Tokyo Olympics. Opposition to holding the Olympics in Tokyo is rising among the citizenry (300,000 signatures in three days to cancel), yet the IOC continues to insist the Olympics will take place and the athletes will be safe. The event is scheduled for July.
- It appears Kentucky Derby winner, Medina Spirit, may be disqualified due to doping allegations. If so, Mandaloun would be declared the winner. Medina Spirit would forfeit the $1.86 million purse, but the bettors would not be affected. Those payouts have already been made. Mandaloun would have paid $50 for every $2 bet on him to win.
- High School conference and District playoffs begin in the next two weeks. Hopefully, we will be there to crown the champions.
