Mother's Day

I walked by the Mother's Day card displays with a sigh this year processing the reality that I won't be sending any more cards to my mom. My mom's birthday was May 7 so historically we often celebrated the two special days together. "Firsts" after the death of a loved one often insight a deep sense of loss and I felt that as I roused that morning. But, my girls are so creative and they gave me such a beautiful gift. God used it to salve my spirit. That afternoon, I took a comfortable seat in the recliner relaxing to the quiet lull of relaxation music and aromatherapy while they soaked and washed my feet in warm water then dried them and put lotion on. After that, they gave me a foot massage. It was such a sweet, innocent act of service and so timely as it brought to mind my own childhood and a particular way I pampered my mom. She used to love to get a facial. I would soak washcloths in warm/hot water while slathering her face with Ponds cold cream. Then I would lay one hot washcloth after another over the cream on her face. She was convinced that the warm compresses melted the cream into her pores. I don't know if our facials actually moisturized her skin but she sure had lovely skin even in the last years of her life. As the girls pampered me, I told them how I had pampered Grandma when I was a girl and we laughed and celebrated the unique and precious gift of being a daughter and being a mother.