Things My Mother Taught Me
Author: Kris Hale
If you want children to keep their feet on the ground, put some responsibility on their shoulders.
-----Abigail Van Buren
My mother was forty-seven years old when she was diagnosed with muscular sclerosis (MS). That diagnosis changed our lives forever. I am the youngest of seven children, and as the "baby girl," my responsibilities were far and few between. As my mother faced her mortality, she began to reflect on her children's lives and wondered if we would be prepared for the world once she was gone.
With this diagnosis, my mother became driven to prepare me for the world and make sure that I had all the tools I would need to thrive. She wanted me to be independent. My family knew very little about her life expectancy, or how her body would respond to the disease. As the youngest, I had always spent the most time with my mom. I soon became her "helper." I went with her to the bank, doctors' appointments and grocery store. I helped her do the laundry and various other chores and errands. My life lessons had begun.
By the time I was ten years old, I was well known at the bank and could balance a checkbook without help. I was eventually able to monitor and manage my own savings account. Each month we paid the bills together, and when she could no longer write, I filled out all the checks, addressed the envelopes, purchased stamps and mailed off the rent along with all the other bills.
My mom was an amazing cook. Thanksgiving was always a huge feast at our house. With a large family, my mom always wanted to make sure that she had enough food for everyone to eat and enough leftovers to seemingly last us a lifetime.
Two days before Thanksgiving, my mom bought all the groceries that she would need to make dinner. The night before, she stuffed the turkey and put it in the oven to cook.
The next morning, I found her very upset and crying because she was not feeling well. She did not think she was going to be able to finish Thanksgiving dinner. For the best cook in town and the mother of seven children, this was more than she could bear. I told her I would cook; all she had to do was tell me what to do. I started cooking at seven in the morning and cooked all day. She sat at the kitchen table instructing me at every step. That was the first time that I cooked a full-course meal for my entire family.
My mother was the single greatest influence in my life. Through every challenge she faced, she led our family with grace and awe-inspiring strength. She made sure that we would be self-sufficient and capable. Ten years after her passing, I still miss her very much.
With the blessing of hindsight, I realize how scared my mother must have been, having a young daughter and not knowing how long she would have to teach her all she would need to know. Even though I had different responsibilities than many of my friends, I understood why. My mother did her very best to make sure that I would have the tools I needed to be a responsible, independent and capable adult. And for that, I am grateful.
Rebecca Lin 2010 Winter In USA |
Well-said.
Have a nice week,
Rebecca
對我教主日學也很有啟發，謝謝分享。
一程歌,
謝謝你閱讀Kris Hale撰寫的文章，看到你的留言我就非常的高興了，同懷念前幾年在KD度過的美好時光。
Have a nice Sunday and good week ahead,
Rebecca
貝卡, 不好意思, 你看我還是大大咧咧的, 沒仔細看標題.
好久好久沒在論壇裏碰到你了, 我也一兩個月會冒個泡灌一會兒水而已, 工作太忙了.
再問好!!! 懷念前幾年在KD的快樂時光^-^
謝謝杜姐留言，杜姐在三亞度假看到草帽時，還想到我，讓我真高興和感動。不過，我檔案裏的照片不是我，因為喜歡這個清新淡雅，喜歡讀書的女子，所以就選用了。
祝你周末快樂，
Rebecca
祝周末快樂
我在三亞看到很多漂亮草帽，我就想到你，然後我買了一頂和你差不多一樣的帶鏤空和飄帶的帽子～～～
一程歌,
真是久違了,看到你的留言太高興了，一切都好嗎？
［Things My Mother Taught Me］這篇文章不是我寫的，作者是Kris Hale，我覺得作者的母親很明智，不但愛她的孩子，並且教會了她的孩子生活的技能，正如Abigail Van Buren所說: "If you want children to keep their feet on the ground, put some responsibility on their shoulders.＂這些對於我用來教育我的孩子們頗有啟迪．
我小的時候，父母太寵愛我了，從來都不要我做飯炒菜，也不要做任何家務，隻要我讀書．我母親的菜做得特別好，可惜我以前就從來沒有跟她學做過任何菜．
記得每到春節，我母親總是早早地準備年貨，除夕夜的晚餐，特別的豐盛，美味佳肴擺滿了桌子，我們全家就圍坐著桌子旁，品味著母親的菜肴，那份節日的歡樂，家的溫馨和歸屬就流淌在佳肴裏，蕩漾在心中．
如今，有時突然想吃母親做的菜，就在家中試著去做，可是總也做不出母親當年的那種美味了，因為我從來都沒有跟著母親實踐過．所有呀，我對我的孩子們說，你們喜歡的菜肴，一定要學會去做，很欣慰的是，我的孩子們很聽話，按照我說的去做了．
好了，就聊到這．
祝你周末快樂，春天愉快，
Rebecca
You had a great Mom!!!