Mom Knows Best

Our mothers do many things for us, but all too often we don’t realize it until it’s too late…

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I was in a grocery store check out line recently when the cashier asked me if I’d like my milk in a bag.

I said “no, I like it in the bottle. It’s too hard to drink from the bag”.

The cashier scowled at me as if I’d just insulted her first born child.

Fortunately, my humor wasn’t completely wasted because the person in line behind me got a good laugh. The cashier may not have appreciated my humor, but at least someone did. I’ve used that line more than a time or two, as well as some other top notch comedic material I have. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t…

My mother used to do similar things.

She would always have a silly comment, joke, random story, or conversation for everyone she met. I dreaded shopping with her because it took forever. Young or old, male or female, race, creed, color, religion…it didn’t matter. If someone was in close proximity, she engaged them. It frustrated me because I was often in hurry. I just wanted to do our shopping and get out of the store. I never understood why she always had the urge to have unsolicited conversations with total strangers.

She did it every time, every place we went.

It often annoyed me and on more than a few occasions I apologized to those who I thought were also inconvenienced by her.

I worried about what people thought of her, but she didn’t seem to care.

It drove me crazy, but it was part of what made my mom who she was. Somewhere in the time since my mother died a few years ago, I subconsciously started doing the same things she did, now to the dismay of my kids.

Surprisingly, I wasn’t bothered by the fact I’d turned into my mother because I learned something which took me a long time to realize. My haste and anti-social tendencies blinded me to the lessons she was trying to teach me. I used to think she was experiencing early Alzheimer’s disease, but what she was doing wasn’t an illness, nor anything weird or annoying. She did it because she was a kind, genuine, sweet person who truly cared about making someone’s day better, expecting nothing in return.

My kids don’t understand that I’d give anything to hear my mother’s silly banter again. In a way, I guess I do it as my way of keeping connected with her. Plus, I’ll admit it is fun to annoy my kids when I’m with them (though I do it intentionally). Perhaps one day they’ll appreciate what she did and how it affected me.

My mother taught me how much a simple greeting, a compliment or a friendly comment can make someone feel appreciated.

I now entertain in the checkout line and other places because I’ve found it breaks up the monotony of the day for the person on the receiving end of my jokes, especially when it seems like they’re having a bad day. But, even if someone isn’t having a bad day, I still pay it forward with hopes they’ll pass on a smile or laugh to someone else, because that’s what my mom would want me to do.

Like any comedian, I know I’m not going to win over every audience, but the show must go on, even when the jokes are bad.

Try it.

You just might make someone feel good and you’ll probably feel better too if you see them smile or giggle.

My mom taught me it’s important to step out of your comfort zone to make someone else’s day better, especially when it doesn’t cost anything but your time and attention.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the mom’s of the world!

~ Marty ~

I wrote this a while back, but I like to re-post it every once in a while because I think it’s an important reminder that life is short. Appreciate your mom and be kind!