Mother's Day blues

Tomorrow is Mother’s Day. I know my little people have something up their sleeves (because Rebecca told me so) and I fully intend to ooh and ahh at the right moments. But I’m just not into Mother’s Day this year.

I was at Sam’s earlier today picking out a few things we needed for dinner and I saw an entire selection of Mother’s Day cakes. Then there was a huge assortment of flowering plants and cut bouquets with a display admonishing us: “Don’t forget Mom!” I saw women my age picking out cakes and flowers and I knew they would be visiting their moms tomorrow and I realized I was desperately sad that I wouldn’t be taking anything to my mom. Thankfully she’s still alive, but the 800 miles between us make it pretty tough for either of us to pop over for a spot of tea.

Sure, you can tell me there are moms and daughters all over the world who live miles and miles from each other; I know I’m not special in that regard. But that doesn’t bring me much comfort or make me less glum. I, for 15 years, lived in the same city as Mom. I got used to bumping into her at Target, seeing her at church and at least weekly either being at her house or having her at mine. I got used to having her around and I took that for granted. And now we’re 800 miles apart. I would give anything to be able go back to living in Atlanta so I could take her out to lunch for Mother’s Day.

Popular sayings are popular for a reason: because they’re true. And the one I’m thinking of right now is, “You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone.”

Happy Mother’s Day, Mom. I miss you.