Tuesday, February 03, 2004
Mama Never Told Me
It was a cold night, a very cold night. I was sent on an errand to fetch Mama's quilted comforter by Sandy to help keep us warm. We lost power earlier for about ten minutes and that damn electric company is so unpredictable that we could lose it again and not be as fortunate. The wind was howling but the sound was forceful yet calming. It is one of those sounds that is forever young, consistent throughout memory as that of robins singing or siegels howling over a rough sea.
There under the dusty and dimly lit light in a mist of snarled cobwebs and dirty wrinkled bags of old clothes lied a picture of my mother's home.The picture was taken when I was around eight. I started to stare at the picture. It was taken to show the huge weeping willow tree that shadowed our front yard and shaded our heavy metal outdoor chairs that were painted with a green that could not be matched. A shade that would remind me forever of my childhood summers. Deep within the picture, I could hear mama humming to herself as she bent over her yellow roses to arrange them as if they were in a showcase. She loved the flowers, the sun and the yard and making it a fortress that reflects her beauty and her love for her family and her love for life. Mama taught us to respect life and to enjoy it. To love being here and to enjoy each other. Mama's breathe was full of life and love and everyone loved her company.
But Mama forgot to tell us not to take candy from strangers that have a forked tough and could lash you with the sharpness of words swifter and more painful than any swordsmen or any creature double-feature alien folk. Mama it is O.K. Mama was forgiving too.
Dearest Mama you told me to brush my teeth and say my prayers and to say goodnight to Jeff, the collie dog but you forgot to tell me how only a few good people usually get the job done out of the group and how no good deed will go unpunished. You forgot to tell me about not to throw the baby out with the bath water and how "money talks and bull-shit walks." I learned the hard way Mama because you didn't tell me that life is 99% perspiration and 1% inspitration. Mama if I only knew that if you work hard you would get ahead. Mom, did you know for many it is "who you know to get ahead," unfortuanately.
Why didn't you tell me about the squeaky wheel gets the oil? You did tell me to do onto others as you would do onto yourself. Mama, why oh why did you tell me if I eat all of my supper that I will grow up to be a big and strong????? I don't want to be a big and strong. Bad boy, Oliver, "do you know that there are children starving in Africa"....that would never happen in our home. MAMA, welcome to the twenty-first century..where there are still flowers for you to take care of and willow trees that offer shade and a place for a cold lemonade and green metal outdoor chairs...
************************************************************
It is winter and it is that time of the year to start thinking of the changing of the season and the celestial heavens going through their natural rhythm. It is a time of cold, moonlight nights with frozen ground and leafless trees. Rivers are motionless, animals gathering and hoarding, fish deep in the ocean and not to be seen for a while.
There under the dusty and dimly lit light in a mist of snarled cobwebs and dirty wrinkled bags of old clothes lied a picture of my mother's home.The picture was taken when I was around eight. I started to stare at the picture. It was taken to show the huge weeping willow tree that shadowed our front yard and shaded our heavy metal outdoor chairs that were painted with a green that could not be matched. A shade that would remind me forever of my childhood summers. Deep within the picture, I could hear mama humming to herself as she bent over her yellow roses to arrange them as if they were in a showcase. She loved the flowers, the sun and the yard and making it a fortress that reflects her beauty and her love for her family and her love for life. Mama taught us to respect life and to enjoy it. To love being here and to enjoy each other. Mama's breathe was full of life and love and everyone loved her company.
But Mama forgot to tell us not to take candy from strangers that have a forked tough and could lash you with the sharpness of words swifter and more painful than any swordsmen or any creature double-feature alien folk. Mama it is O.K. Mama was forgiving too.
Dearest Mama you told me to brush my teeth and say my prayers and to say goodnight to Jeff, the collie dog but you forgot to tell me how only a few good people usually get the job done out of the group and how no good deed will go unpunished. You forgot to tell me about not to throw the baby out with the bath water and how "money talks and bull-shit walks." I learned the hard way Mama because you didn't tell me that life is 99% perspiration and 1% inspitration. Mama if I only knew that if you work hard you would get ahead. Mom, did you know for many it is "who you know to get ahead," unfortuanately.
Why didn't you tell me about the squeaky wheel gets the oil? You did tell me to do onto others as you would do onto yourself. Mama, why oh why did you tell me if I eat all of my supper that I will grow up to be a big and strong????? I don't want to be a big and strong. Bad boy, Oliver, "do you know that there are children starving in Africa"....that would never happen in our home. MAMA, welcome to the twenty-first century..where there are still flowers for you to take care of and willow trees that offer shade and a place for a cold lemonade and green metal outdoor chairs...
************************************************************
It is winter and it is that time of the year to start thinking of the changing of the season and the celestial heavens going through their natural rhythm. It is a time of cold, moonlight nights with frozen ground and leafless trees. Rivers are motionless, animals gathering and hoarding, fish deep in the ocean and not to be seen for a while.
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