Happy Mother's Day

The recent royal wedding has delighted my imagination throughout the spring. My family and I lived in London for 6 months in the fall of 1985. I remember everything, school, friends, the guinea pig that bit my hand, museums, the 'punks' with mohawks on King's Cross, castles, ruins and crown jewels. I have often thought that this visceral city experience as a child was the reason I longed to move to New York as a semi-adult.

I never had a royal sighting. But I do remember when a little girl in my first grade class was four hours late to school. When pressed as to why she said that her mother had taken her to see Diana's motorcade. To an American it seemed kind of silly to me. We don't have such a thing as royalty here. We do not think of any man as being somehow hanging between Godliness and earthliness. Yet here was Diana.

Since the royal wedding was announced some months ago I think I have clicked on every link Yahoo has posted to Diana and Charles's wedding photos. My own mother did not really look so much like Diana, but recently it occurred to me that the way she wore her hair was exactly the same. While I always attributed the style to my mother, it is likely that she was emulating Diana. She wore her hair like that for years, no…decades.

Today Diana reminds me of my own mother who was enamored of all things English. My mother drank coffee in the morning but always tea in the afternoon. I should note that my mother was not even one ounce English.

It was maybe the third or fourth weekend of my first year in college that Diana was killed. I went to church and the priest prayed for her and her family and I was sorely confused. When I returned to my dorm the first people were talking about it. I felt so deeply for her children. Yet it was only 26 months later that I would be just like her children, experiencing the loss of my own mother. And last week during William's most happy day, I admit I kept thinking how much it stunk to not have his mum there with him.

I still think of my mom every day and in many different ways. Now that I have my own children I see her so differently. If you have your mom, kiss her today. If you can't kiss her through the distance then talk to her and tell her you love her. And if you are fighting with your mom, just quit it. The path of pride is often lonely and never leads you where you want to go. If your mom is fighting with you then think of her and forgive her. We never know how many days we get to see the sunlight. Make them as beautiful as you can.

Happy Mother's Day everyone!