Dr. Glenn Mollette
I wish I had my mother this Mother's Day — actually, every day. How sweet it would be to talk to her on the telephone and talk about the weather, family and friends and hear about what she was doing.
How better yet it would be if life was such that I could take her to G.C. Murphy's snack bar and buy her a hotdog. Dad and Mom gave me $5 and bought me a bicycle if I agreed to have my tonsils removed when I was about 7 years old.
When Dad gave me the $5, I wanted to pay for our lunch, which consisted of hotdogs and Cokes at the old soda fountain bar in the now defunct G.C. Murphy's store in downtown Paintsville, Ky. It was the most money I had owned in my life and it felt good to treat Mom and Dad.
I never got the opportunity to do more for my mom and dad than they did for me. I would have liked to but time ran out. I hear stories about rock stars who buy their parents cars and houses and stuff like that. That's cool, but then often I hear about some of the same rock stars going broke and Mom losing the house, so that's not cool.
This is all beside the point. I just wish Mom were alive so I could buy her Sunday dinner and give her some flowers.
I took her some flowers on her birthday, Sept. 3, 2001. She was on a breathing tube and wasn't aware of my presence. I wanted to give her some flowers one more time while she was living.
Hindsight is always 20-20. We know people are going to die but we seldom make the most of our time with people.
Mom was a loving lady. She was a hard worker. She demonstrated Christian faith and perseverance and much more.
My wife and mother of my two sons passed almost 15 years ago. She was a great lady and mother to our children. She loved my boys more than life and the last thing she asked me to do was to please take care of them. I've tried, but no one takes the place of a child's mother.
My two grandmothers have passed on. My Mama Mollette and Mama Hinkle were just incredible women that would brighten any grandson's day. I wish I still had them.
There are numerous wonderful women who I can call and wish Happy Mother's Day and I think I will this weekend. Special moms need to know they are worthy.
I do have one very special mom in my life and that is my wife. She's great. She loves our five children and three grandchildren. She tries her best to go the third mile with each of them. She works, she cleans, she bakes, she washes clothes, worries, prays, cries, helps and is just an all-around great wife and mother. She is worthy of praise, love, flowers, candy, dinner and whatever I can come up with to give her.
I just hope that I can cherish the day with a great lady, wife and mom, because time, unfortunately, is not really on our side when it comes to lots of tomorrows.
On Mother's day, or any day, take lots of time and thought for the Moms in your life — while you have the chance.
Glenn Mollette is an American syndicated columnist and author.
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This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Take time for Mom — before it’s too late