Slippers

"Put some socks on your feet before you catch a cold!" My mother probably said that to me every day of my life. I was a barefoot kind of girl. I stepped on bees, rusty nails, sparklers and cut my foot open wading in the creek. And even if my feet felt like blocks of ice, I would not put socks on while I was in the house. I remember my mother always being up before us kids, drinking coffee in her robe and slippers. Probably gathering her thoughts for the busy day ahead. In other words, enjoying a few moments of quiet before the circus began. You wouldn't catch her barefoot in the house. She was always busy, and it showed. Our house was always clean and there was always a hot meal, at least twice a day. I never ran out of clean underwear or slept on dirty sheets. We didn't eat fast food or frozen foods. And she did all this while taking care of four kids. She was the ultimate Super Mom. I, on the other hand, am never awake before my children. They have learned how to make their own breakfast, which is usually peanut butter or cold cereal. My house is never completely clean. Most times it is downright disasterous. Brother has actually gone commando at times because I didn't get the laundry done. And hot meals vs. cold/easy food is about half and half around here. There are times I wish I could be more like her. And I often wonder if I learned anything from her. But the truth is, my chidren's lives are worlds apart from my life as a child. I went to school during the day, as did my sisters and brother, so Mom had most of the day to do what needed to be done at home. And when I was home, I was never in the house. I was outside all the time and had to be dragged in at dinnertime. Mom didn't have to worry about me being outside without supervision, running all over the neighborhood. I wasn't underfoot. My children have school here at home, and I would never let them run all over the neighborhood without me. It is a full time job...and then some.

Whenever my mom comes to my house, she comments on how busy I am. And I remind her that she had four kids...I only have three. She must have been pretty busy, too. And she says, "I don't remember being that busy!" Well, if I think about it, she wasn't. So, I cut myself some slack, and try to remember that the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree. I learned some wonderful things from my mother. This morning, I put my slippers on when I got out of bed. And you know what? I liked it.