A banquet can come with a card. On the table is a plate of oysters, salad with juicy slices of fruit, fresh mango juice, a big leg of glazed ham and lots and lots of prawn. Sometimes, we wonder what gives our mothers the energy to prepare a feast like this. It’s simple, really.
She arrived at noon and placed the groceries down on the dining room table with a thud. “Michael! Sean!” Her kids pretended they didn’t hear her almost-angry yelling. On the table is a stack of mail. Flipping through them, she couldn’t believe anyone was still using snail mail but they were all bills anyway. Except for one Christmas card from her favourite spa and salon. She opened it almost robotically and read, “One day your kids will say, ‘Everything I am, you helped me to be. Have a very merry Christmas.”
As they sat down to dinner, she glanced at the kitchen. It was still a mess from their afternoon of cooking but it was one of her happiest moments. As little Sean helped himself to an oyster, he looked over and said, “Thanks, Mom.” All it took was being able to hold one solid, beautiful piece of encouragement.