BY PEGGY KNOWLES PRATHER
There’s great power in knowing that your mother loves you. There’s even greater power in knowing she likes you. She thinks you’re funny. She thinks you are smart; she thinks you are pretty or handsome as the case may be.
Any thought of my Mom makes me feel at peace with the world.
I have many favorite memories of her, ones where I merely observed her.
One of my favorites is of her sitting at the dining room window behind her old Singer sewing machine. She faced out so, at a glance, she could observe the outside world as she worked. Her canary cage sat to her left up on a pedestal.
As she diligently concentrated on her sewing and as the sewing machine whirred, the canary sang. What bliss! She was content. I was content.
I never thought about being a mother when I was a child.
I was one of those weird little girls who didn’t like to play with dolls or play house. I would rather climb a tree or go in search of salamanders under rocks.
Then it happened! I met the love of my life and we embarked on a 50 year journey of marriage and parenthood. A miscarriage first time pregnant made me feel such great loss that I knew I must have children. They would complete me and fill the yearning I’d discovered I had.
Four children and 13 grandchildren later, I am passionate about every one of these little creatures who have graced my life. And I am as passionate about their life partners. I think each one is so unique and has so much to offer the world.
As I go about my life, I hope they are watching me and that I can give them strength through my strength like my mother did for me.
Yes, I hope they, too, can hear the canary sing.