The Beauty We Inherit: A Love Note to Mom
Hey there!
My mom has a beautiful voice. As she moves through her day, lost in her own thoughts, futzing around the house, she hums—on key, unlike me. Sometimes she softly sings the song she’s humming. It doesn’t matter if anyone’s there or not; she’s in her head.
Her happiest place—and one of my favorite memories—is listening to her and watching her in the garden. She loves her flowers. As an adult, I now understand how important that escape was from the chaotic cacophony of our house. (Good God, what a brood we were—and still are when we all get together, which is a blast!) I couldn’t help but wander out there—not to disturb that peace, but to immerse myself in it somehow.
“Mom?… Mom?… Mom?… Hey, Mom?”
With a sigh that brought her back from wherever she was (I’d venture to guess there were no children there), she’d turn her warm brown eyes up to me and invite me with her sweet voice to “play in the dirt” with her. I was excited and curious to be in a small corner of her peaceful world. She’d try to teach me the names of the roses or flowers, which I would promptly forget. The patience of a saint, this woman. My mom is the person who can make magic out of mud.
My sisters and I all have a little of what our mom was born with. Whatever was going on around us—no matter how little money we had—she managed to find beauty. She sang to us, curated the simplest of things in our very, very humble home, and grew flowers. There were always fresh flowers.
It’s the little things, the quiet things—the things that can be easily passed by or taken for granted. But I hope you don’t. Let’s not.
This is a love note to my mom, of course. With Mother’s Day coming up, I send love out to all the moms and the people who are looked up to as that figure in someone’s life. I hope that you let them know you love them—and let them know why. Share a simple memory, maybe bring them a flower. It doesn’t have to be a dozen of the most expensive flowers—or it could be! Whatever it is, take the time, make the time, and have it come from the heart.
For Portland People, here’s a wonderful gift idea with a couple of local businesses that I adore:
Roots of Joy is a floral studio owned by Allison Lopakka Joy. If you have an event coming up and need stunning floral arrangements, look no further. She’s a great human and an amazing talent!
Silly Daisy is a fantastic boutique in the heart of Sellwood. If you haven’t been to Sellwood in a while, you need to go. Start off at Silly Daisy for gift-giving—whether it’s for Mother’s Day, any other occasion, or just for yourself. The assortment is great, and the prices are surprisingly reasonable for such beautiful, curated items!
And I know I mentioned it last year, but it’s worth repeating: if you haven't made it up to Jachter Family Wines yet, you’re missing out. It’s stunning up there, and the wine is AMAZING! Jeff and I were just up there, and we tried their white Pinot—yes, white Pinot! Even if wine isn’t your thing (WHAT!?), they have great nibbles, and the view is absolutely unbeatable.
Okay, go do something beautiful. Life is short.
‘Til next time,
Arlene
