Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Happy Birthday, Mom
Today is my mom's birthday, 76 and looking good. Born 9 years and 3 days after my dad.
My mom is a P.K., Preacher's Kid, born between two set of boys and forever affected. My grandparents had three sons, my mom, three more sons, then my aunt. My grandmother always joked that she would have loved another daughter, but wasn't willing to have three more sons just to get one.
"The Boys" went on to make names for themselves. In a town where four of them lived, as well as my mother, when giving her last name she was repeatedly told, "Oh! I didn't know there were any girls in the family!"
In the small studio apartment my grandmother lived after being widowed, she had but one surface to display photographs of her huge family. Above the dresser she hung the high school graduation pictures of all six boys. On the dresser, behind all the other pictures, my mom's and aunt's sat. Forever a bone of contention with my mom, she never got a satisfactory answer out of my grandmother as to why the girls "didn't make the wall".
I recently spent time with an astrologer. She told me it was in my charts that I would do the work my grandmother and mother had always wanted to do, but didn't, due to societal and family pressures.
It feels good knowing I am not doing just what is right for me and my daughter and possibly generations to come, but for generations that have come before, as well.
Happy birthday, Mom.

7 comments:

Ask Me Anything said...

I love the idea that you will be working backward and forward at once.

Anonymous said...

Just remember, you wouln't be the talented, terrific, etc. person you are today.....without your mom.
Happy birthday, Ruth.

Anonymous said...

Awesome Carrie.

Happy B-day Mrs. Wilson!

Jerri said...

You're sandwiched, too, Carrie. Between your mother and your daughter. How wonderful that you're able to transmute the past and then pass those blessings on to your daughter.

Give your mom a smooch from me and thank her for raising a hell of a daughter.

Suzy said...

I'm with Jerri....one hell of a daughter Mrs. Wilson!

lisajoelle said...

Hey Cousin in-law, It's nice to hear a different perspective, on THAT NAME. Happy Birthday Ruth!

jennifer said...

Thanks Carrie's mom, for bring Carrie into the world...she's amazing!!