Thinking of the month of May, Mother’s Day, which is May 10th this year, is the first thing that comes to my mind. That, of course, prompts me to think of my mom. She was an exceptional person, both down to earth and loving, a feminist before the word existed. Although she wanted to be a music teacher, she had to leave school after 8th grade to get a job to help the family. She became a switchboard operator for New York Telephone. This was a skill she would take with her to go back to after I was four, the youngest of four, when my grandfather could help look after me. She continued with New York Telephone until she stopped to care for my brother’s daughter. Later she worked the switchboard at our local hospital. In her 70’s, she decided to just work week-ends and holidays. She left in her 80’s when they computerized the switchboard. She was incredibly bright in money matters and managing our home with my dad and well organized.
On Sunday mornings, I would be awakened by the sound of Enzio Pinza singing and the scent of gravy cooking on the stove. I am Italian. She had been to 7am mass and the bakery and there were rolls, jelly doughnuts and crumb buns on the table. Those could not be eaten till after church and communion! We always had a big dinner at 1pm. In the evening, friends and relatives would come by bringing cakes and we would have sandwiches and salads. We kids would play games and the adults would talk and reminisce. When I was in the Peace Corps in Malaysia, Sunday was the one day I got homesick remembering those times that were still going on with my brothers’ families there.
I took for granted the security and love that was present in my family until I was in college and met other people with different stories.
I, then, think of my daughter and my daughter-in-law both wonderful mothers to my three granddaughters. I expand it out to my nieces and great nieces. I have great great nieces and nephews! I am blessed with a large and loving family.
May also contains Memorial Day. I think of my husband who left high school to join the Navy at 17 to help his country defeat the Japanese in the Pacific Campaign in the last justifiable war, WWII. This year I am also thinking and praying for the new Gold Star Mothers and the relatives of the thousands of people killed as a result of this unjustifiable war. We began this 21st century with another unjustifiable war declared necessary by another president. Although other presidents endeavored to get us out, it lasted till 2021 when Biden actually did. Is this where we are headed again? This Memorial Day we should question this need for war. What purpose is served by bombing defenseless people and destroying their lands? We all need to pray for a peace for all sides that will last.