Happy Birthday, Mom!

Today’s Mom’s birthday. No, I won’t tell you how old she is. She doesn’t want any of her tennis girls to know how old because she’s afraid they’ll hit the ball back too soft. 

But that she plays tennis twice a week is pretty impressive. It’s one of those things her four kids love about her. She loves a good game and she never gives up. (A little Celebrex helps the arthritis.) 

We all love talking to her on the phone because she wants to know all about us, about our kids, about our friends, about the movie we just saw—should she see it?—and the book we just read—would it work for her book group?   

She does a great job of taking care of Dad—he’s slowed down a lot—and although she says she prays for patience, the prayer seems to have been answered tenfold. 

But then she was pretty patient with us. With our cars and treehouses, with all the times we stayed out too late, with the girlfriends and boyfriends she knew were wrong but she never said a word, with the wrong turns in our career paths. (She would also tell you that she prayed to keep silent.) 

She used to remind us her birthday was coming up, just in case we might forget. But these days none of us ever do. We’re all so glad to have the chance to say: “You’re a great mom. You’re a great mother-in-law to our spouses. (They could tell you how all your prayers to keep silent were answered.) You’re a great grandmother. Happy Birthday!” 

It’s good to be able to say the important things at least once a year.

Rick Hamlin is the executive editor at GUIDEPOSTS.

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