Celebrate Mother’s Day anyway you can but don’t miss the opportunity to honor mom. The opportunities pass us by. While mom is alive is the time to do something for her. Too often someone dies and we want to make sure we attend their funeral and buy flowers. We talk about missed opportunities. While your special person is alive is the time to cherish and make a big deal about that person. 

Do what you can do. Moms simply want to know you care. You could clean out the garage or clean the house. Spend a day working in the yard or trimming shrubbery. People buy flowers and take mom out to dinner typically on Mother’s Day. It is no secret that flowers have become even more expensive and many restaurants are having employee issues. If you had to wait to be served in the past this Mother’s Day may be challenging. Consider taking mom a card and writing her a letter. Tell her how you feel about her and thank her for being a great mom.  The main thing is don’t forget the day. If you are a long way from home by all means make a phone call.

I know some great mothers. My wife is a phenomenal mother. I have sisters, daughters and a daughter in law who are great mothers. So, there are plenty of people around for me to honor this weekend. I suspect you may know one or two. Even if they aren’t family, wish them a happy Mother’s Day. 

My mother has been in heaven for a long time and so has the mother of my two sons. Mother’s Day is a tough day for them as they lost their mother when they were 17 and 20 years old. My wife’s mother passed just a few years ago.  It happens. The chair at the table suddenly is empty and all you are left with are pictures and memories. 

I miss the long telephone conversations with my mother. We talked on the telephone for 30 minutes sometimes twice a week. When I was a child, she was my advocate. She was my school tutor. We didn’t eat out growing up so she kept food on the table three times a day. When I was a small child, we still had a wringer washing machine and the water was not great. We caught rain water in large tubs and then carried it in to wash clothes. I remember a couple of summers of carrying water from the creek to wash clothes. She ironed clothes for an entire day every week. It was a great day when we were finally able to have an automatic washer and dryer. 

Mom worked hard and about twice a week dressed up really nice and she and dad went to church. Like most of our mothers I could write a lot about her but Eula Hinkle Mollette was a wonderful mother. She loved me, corrected me and supported me. I know there were times I disappointed her but she never disconnected from me. She was always there as best as she could be.

The point is don’t miss celebrating Mother’s Day. You only have one mom. Cherish every minute. 

Dr. Glenn Mollette is an author and his column is published weekly in over 600 publications in all 50 states.