By Bill Milby

Columnist

I don’t care how old we are, nobody can take the place of mama. Many of you reading this column are mature enough to remember a wonderful TV program from the 50’s starring Peggy Wood called “I Remember Mama” sponsored by Maxwell House Coffee, which they proudly proclaimed was “Good to the Last Drop!” I remember watching that show on Friday evenings with mom and pop at my grandparents’ house on their 10” black and white TV before we even had one. My favorite viewing place was from a stretched out position on the floor.

If my memory serves me correctly, “The Friday night Fights” came on right after “Mama.” Mom wasn’t too happy about that but for the most part she quietly endured it.

This past Sunday we held our annual Mother’s Day celebration at the farm. We had four moms present along with four very grateful husbands and six of nine grandchildren. Lots of activities (motorcycling, four wheeling, fishing, swinging and more) filled the air while the husbands struggled to put on a “special meal” that the moms do on a regular basis. And even though by comparison we were “All thumbs” it turned out quite nicely even if I do say so myself. I know for certain the moms appreciated being able to sit and relax while dinner was being prepared, served and cleaned up after.

This year my wife decided to do something a bit different than in the past in order to honor her recently deceased mother. After dinner she asked all the kids (ages 1-12) to gather their favorite flowers from around the farm and bring them to her van. Then we had a three car caravan to the churchyard cemetery which is just 3 miles down the road.

Each of the kids then took their freshly picked flowers and placed them in a vase atop GiGi’s grave marker. It was a beautiful way to honor GiGi (Great grandmother) and to perpetuate the special relationship she had with each of her great grandchildren.

It didn’t take that long at all and there was virtually no preparation save picking the flowers by the kids, but I believe the mere fact of taking the time to gather around her grave marker will instill a special reverence for this woman who loved her grandchildren and great grandchildren so much. Not only will it instill reverence for her memory but I believe it will pay dividends for their future as well. Consider this quote from A Brookings Institution report entitled: An analysis of out-of-wedlock births in the United States:

If we have learned any policy lesson well over the past 25 years, it is that for children living in single-parent homes, the odds of living in poverty are great. The policy implications of the increase in out-of-wedlock births are staggering.

I believe that anything we can do to increase the sense of extended family stability and love in our children and grandchildren will pay big dividends for them in this world that seems to have forgotten its moral roots.

I hope you had a wonderful Mother’s Day.

Thanks for reading All About Seniors…..See you next week!

PS For pictures of our “Ceremony” go to www.facebook.com/VisitingAngelsofCentralGA/

 

Bill Milby, CSA, is a Certified Senior Advisor and a Director of Visiting Angels® of Macon, a non-medical, living assistance service for seniors. If you have questions or comments about this column you can reach him at william.mercylink@gmail.com or search for us at https://www.facebook.com/VisitingAngelsofCentralGA/