Today is my Mother's 76th birthday.
My Mother is a card-carrying caretaker. She's got a complicated combo of pride, martyrdom and isolationism brewing at any moment. She's also completely unaccustomed to allowing others to do anything nice for her.
Last night, my Mother's friends Stella and Mario took her out for dinner. You know where: Swiss Chalet.
When dinner was finished, my Mother refused to allow Stella and Mario to pay for her dinner. Her birthday dinner.
"Oh I don't want to be any trouble," my Mother said.
"Ma, it's okay to let other people be nice to you," I told her when she was recounting the story. "It actually makes THEM feel better."
"Maybe you're right," my Mother said, like she'd never thought of it before, and was undoubtedly sceptical about the whole notion.
A few minutes after her call, she called back. She'd opened the card that Stella had slipped her when they left the restaurant.
Inside, $12 -- the cost of her dinner.
2 comments:
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!
Another complicated combo I find is the wonderful yet scary yet 'you can't fight it' notion that we're becoming more and more like our mothers every day.
I used to think my mom was looped but she's making more and more sense to me every day.
My mom is 76 too (not her birthday today though) and she, well doesn't want to be "fussed over" but deep down, she does.
My mother is a strong willed person, who all of a sudden, seems to have developed an opinion, on almost, almost everything. She has calmed down on some things, which is good.
Your mom sounds like most moms, especially the pride thing.
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