Revisiting Mother's Day

My Mom and Me

I spent some time on Mother's Day cleaning the dog hair out of my car. I had to move the car to get my built in vacuum hose to reach the second side of my car and while moving it - I got to hear the Vinyl Cafe. Now I am not sure everyone knows about the Vinyl Cafe. It is a program on CBC - oh I can hear one of my friends saying "you have to be OLD to listen to CBC" and I said to her - grow up then, this is good radio. The Vinyl Cafe is hosted by Stuart McLean, is best described in these words from the Vinyl Cafe website.

"The Vinyl Cafe stories are about Dave, owner of the second hand record store, and they are collected in books and on CD. The stories also feature Dave's wife, Morley, their two children, Sam and Stephanie, and assorted friends and neighbours. The motto of Dave's store - and of the radio show - is "We May Not Be Big, But We're Small"."

The one of the day was "Mother's Day" and the story was "Sam's New Underwear". It describes a Mother's changing role as her children grow up and grow away. One day, a baby, toddler and the next - you are a spectator in your child's life - when did this happen; HOW did this happen. It brought tears to my eyes as I sat in the back seat - vacuum cleaner going and Stuart McLean hitting every Motherly nerve in my body and it brought thoughts about my kids and how I had to adapt to being me, not me, Raymond's Mother or me, Paula's Mother, or me, Tracy's Mother. Just me - Geri.  Not the fixer of hurts - physical or physiological; not the person to give unsolisted "good advise"; not the person to do everything for everyone BUT just me. I still don't think I have it right - as I learned to bite my tongue a lot so that they can grow and fail and try and succeed. It is a hard thing to do because you know it would be so easy to SWOOP in and save the day. I have learned to help ONLY when I am asked. I must say I am so proud of my children for doing it on their own.