The author's mom, Susan, with his daughter, Ella
“Mama was my greatest teacher — a teacher of compassion, love, and fearlessness. If love is sweet as a flower, then my mother is that sweet flower of love.” — Stevie Wonder
PSA: Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 12th. I repeat, Mother’s Day is May 12th. Every year, I try to find something nice for the moms in my life, but the more I search for the perfect present, the more I find that time is the best gift of all.
Let’s face it, moms are the best. They are nurturing, affirming, loving, supportive, and in many cases, brutally honest. And they just want to see us and spend time with us. Pretty cool if you think about it.
“You’re burning the candle at both ends.”
“I’m proud of you.”
“You have to learn to say no.”
“You need to apologize.”
“I didn’t raise you that way.”
“I love you just the way you are.”
“I know you are busy.”
If you’ve ever heard the following phrases, you have a fantastic mom! Think about it, they know you better than you know yourself. They brought you into this world, and they can take you out, or at the very least, put you in your place. They know all of your secrets and still love you unconditionally.
My mom Susan and I have funny banter, so it’s always nice to take an afternoon to sit together just the two of us and laugh. We tend to make fun of my dad and brother quite a bit, as they give us lots of fodder. Lunch with drinks makes for an even more amusing time. As caretakers, sometimes it’s hard to find extra hours to unwind. I recommend an outing to a place of your mother’s choosing.
As for my wife Annie, she is a self-proclaimed introvert, so if I can get her some much-needed alone time, we all win. It’s not that she doesn’t appreciate the love and presents, she just likes some peace and quiet every now and again. Having kids makes Mother’s Day even more fun. Who knows what plans they will have in store? Recently, for my 40th birthday, they pulled out all the stops with color-coordinated streamers and plates to match the cake. I plan on following their lead, for sure. They tend to build up the holidays and special occasions in unpredictable ways. There will likely be tears.
My mother-in-law Sheryl enjoys a good conversation with her goofy son-in-law and seems to really appreciate my dad jokes. She also likes it when I help her set up her phone and try to fix her computer when it’s on the fritz.
No matter what you do for your mom, wife, or mother-in-law, just remember that all they want is to see you and spend quality time with you. Is that so hard? I didn’t think so. Good luck!
*Note: You should also consider getting them a card and some flowers. Your time is a gift, but think about all your mom does for you!
Jeff Hulett is a freelance writer, musician, and PR consultant in Memphis. He lives in the Vollintine Evergreen neighborhood with his wife Annie, two girls Ella and Beatrice, and dog Chalupa. He’s a fan of dad jokes.