Mother’s Day 2019

The guy who invented the Post-It-Note was a genius. I love sticky notes—these seemingly innocuous pads of pale-yellow paper with the right amount of adhesive on the top allowing them to stick to just about any surface, are remarkable. It is amazing how much writing will fit on that little 3”X 3” square. They can be used to make a list, write a love note, jot down instructions, (or in the case of my son many years ago, used to write a note and stuck to the outside of the front door, “I went to the library…door unlocked”).

I admit it. I am hopelessly old school. I shun putting my life on my iPhone, still opting for a plain ole paper planner and calendar with lots of spaces for making lists, writing notes and of course, blank surfaces for attaching sticky notes. These sticky notes are adaptable too. If for some reason, you still need the information on a particular sticky note, it can be moved to the next day, week or even month!

I have one particular sticky note that I’ve saved. I received this note in January 2008. It is from my mother, in her familiar small, neat penmanship:

Well it’s not like I

forgot your BD—it is

just that I can’t get myself together—I can still

feel the thrill I

had when I was told I had a baby girl-…..

there seems to be a tight

bond with a girl.

Love, M & M

Now as much as I adore sticky notes, to receive a LATE birthday note from my mother on one of them was a sign that something was amiss.  For my mother to forget my birthday, and not be able to get herself together was a huge red flag.  Born two days after Christmas, it would have been easy for my birthday to get lost in the busyness of the holy days. But my mother always made sure my birthday was not forgotten. It was celebrated as its own day. No Christmas wrap on my birthday presents—no Christmas/birthday combo gifts. My celebrations always included a homemade cake, often from the Baker’s Coconut Animal Cake decorating book.

My personal favorite

As I got older and my tastes changed, she might make something like a black forest cake.  The point was that my mother never forgot my birthday. So, when December 27, 2007 rolled around and no call, no card, no nothing….I was a little perplexed. And when the card with the little sticky note attached arrive, I was taken aback and had a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach.  (That sinking feeling still arises on occasion).

I carried that little yellow note in my wallet for months. Finally, my husband had it laminated for me. It now sits in a drawer of special things, nestled amongst photos, tiny notebooks and the pens and pencils I use for writing each day. It is a reminder of the redemptive love of my mother. As this Mother’s Day comes to a close, I pray a prayer of gratitude for my mother’s faithfulness, kindness and generosity throughout my life.

Always Mercy

Pamela