Rediscovering Home: Mother’s Day Reflections and Gift Ideas
I had the best conversation with my mom the other day that turned into some equally wonderful conversations with my three sisters. Stick with me on this because it will turn into a gift recommendation in the end.
I was curious to learn which house we grew up in was my mom’s favorite. I have my favorite, of course, and it lives in vivid technicolor in my mind –- the “boonie house”. We called it that because it was a simple raised shack with a metal roof and wood floors, nestled about five feet from the jungle and two houses down from my grandparents on the island of Guam.
It was heaven to me.
The most magical memory I have is of the back door of this tiny house and how it opened up to the jungle. After it rained and the sun came streaming through all the leaves, blossoms, and vines, this very simple door with its very simple casing framed the most verdant and infinite shades of glistening greens. I carry it with me everywhere I go.
What is really, really cool is when I asked my mom about her favorite house she immediately said the boonie house too. And as I was picturing my door to the jungle, she described to me the very same door and the very same view. Man, that was cool...
I went on to talk to all of my sisters and my mom for a couple of hours about the places we lived in and what they liked and disliked about them. So. Much. Laughing! Also, so much learning. We do not all see or remember things the same. It was fascinating. How our homes make us FEEL is so real, and it stays with us. That was so apparent in the individual memories that my family has of the homes we shared.
Thanks for sticking with me. Here’s the gift recommendation: If you are lucky enough to have your mom around, give her a call, go for a walk, or sit down with her and ask her about the different places she lived. I asked about how it felt in the house. Why did you move? Where did you spend the most time in the house?—I learned so much about my mom, the person she was in that space and time. I heard her laugh at a long-forgotten memory. I heard her searching her memory for details and excitedly remembering them. I heard her fall silent in recalling sweet, sad things. It was absolutely precious. This is the gift. It’s Time—our most precious commodity. Spend it wisely and spend most of it with those you love.
These conversations can be just as successful when they take place over the phone or on your front porch, but here are a few local ideas if you’d like a different backdrop:
10:00am -12:00pm
9:00am - 4:00pm
Thanks for indulging me and I truly hope that this gave you some good ideas!
'Til next time,
– Arlene