Thursday, July 24, 2008

Just one of the Reasons....


...why I love my Mom.


When I pick out a birthday card, or any card for that matter...I look for two things, humor and word 'belated' somewhere in the message (need I say more). I rush thru and usually settle on whatever makes me laugh...love Gary Larson cards.

My Mom is a whole different story. This wonderful woman has turned looking for the perfect card into an art form. She studies, she reads, she ponders, she opens dozens of cards in her search for the most meaningful and appropriate card according to who she is buying for...trying desperately to match a Hallmark sentiment to a unique individual. This quest can be especially difficult if the recipient is say...a ward of the state....prison humor just hasn't caught on in the greeting card industry. With 7 children, 20 grandchildren, countless sons and daughters-in-law....not to mention friends....her card choosing proclivities can be time-consuming. But it is something very important to her and she takes it quite seriously. She wants the recipient of her cards to read and 'own' the message of the card. It's not just schmaltzy words....she needs to believe what is written just as surely as if she'd written it herself. And I don't think in my lifetime she has ever not sent a card of birthday wishes, get-well, wedding, sympathy, graduation....it's a flippin full time job for heavens sake!

How can anyone not appreciate the effort and love that goes into this simple gesture? You're the best Mom....and everyone who matters thinks so!!!

6 comments:

Steve said...

Much ado about something! We love you, Betty.

Nancy Winningham said...

I love your mom!

Wendy Melchior said...

your post is so intriguing for me because I recently labored in a card store because, even though the sentiments were beautiful, they were not true for me. How lovely that your Mom is looking for the perfect meaningful thing to say - I was searching for the most neutral (without being obviously neutral). It was a battle between being honest and/or disappointing the recipient. It was brutal!

Maureen said...

LOL...my Mom has had MANY of those moments Wendy! Sometimes she calls and we discuss the sentiment, making sure it's ok (or at least not an out-and-out lie). Our family is so big and so diverse that asking, 'does this really apply?' happens quite often....

...and how exactly do you say...hope the other inmates are treating you well ???

Maureen said...

Oh and Nancy....you are one of the 'everyone who matters' !!!

Tesa said...

Hey Meg ur Mom sounds so cute :) and thoughtful and detailed lol I most times forget cards :( and end up writing on the wrapping paper with black marker LOL im so bad!