On CBC radio morning show over the last week in preparation for Mother’s Day, they have been gathering the advice of our mothers from listeners. There have been some real zingers.
Some were what you might expect: “Neither a borrower nor a lender be.” (thanks Shakespeare), “take care of the pennies and the pounds will take care of themselves,” and "Always remember who you are." And then there were ones I’d never heard before like, "Nothing good happens after 11 o'clock,” and "When you're upset about something, just say, 'Jujubes,' shake your head and move on. It's a silly thing, but it resets your brain and helps you not obsess over things that don't serve you." But sometimes Mom’s advice got very real and raw, like "At the end of the day, we are all buried in the same dirt,” and my personal favourite even if just for the shock value, said to a teen as they went out the door to hang with their “friends”: “Be careful. If you fly with the crows you’ll get shot with the crows.”
What advice has your mom given you that you carry, a reference point to your life.
Mothers Day is not a religious holiday but it does, at its best, celebrate a primal love, and we in the church know something about primal love and where it comes from. It is our core reference point. We pray to the “Love at the heart of all life,” and we know that love is there no matter what.
I hope to see you on Sunday when we celebrate, sing, pray and connect with that love which is closer that words can express.
Blessings, Will