Have you seen the commercial where the guy is checking out at the liquor store with his six pack of beer and he happens to see the countertop display of Valentine’s Day greeting cards? He grabs one without even reading it and throws it in with his purchase. The next frame shows the same guy at a lovely restaurant having dinner with his girlfriend. She is opening his card and tearing up with spontaneous, genuine emotion as she reads the heartfelt sentiment above her boyfriend’s handwritten signature. WOW…that dude scored…and he didn’t even take time to READ the card before he bought it!
Fast forward to Mother’s Day.
I was at a beautiful outdoor garden center this morning looking for a hanging basket or potted plant for my mom for Mother’s Day. I was carefully scrutinizing each and every plant…thoughtfully looking at their color, shape, size, and number of blossoms. I was truly enjoying the whole experience and had selected 3 particularly lovely potted plants and had set them aside for the next round of consideration.
Suddenly… out of nowhere, a man appeared. He rushed past me, saying a quick “good morning” and literally grabbed the very first potted plant and hanging basket within his reach. He was gone as swiftly as he had appeared. I stood there in horrified silence. Clearly…this man had completed an entire year’s worth of Mother’s Day shopping before my very eyes in less than 30 seconds.
Seriously??!! What happened to making sure the color was perfect and the plant you finally chose was filled with buds that would open at just the right time on Mother’s Day?!?
I completed my selection process and proceeded toward the check out counter 20 minutes later with the plant that I was sure was the perfect selection for my mom on Mother’s Day.
I had invested time, thought, and love in my purchase…and I had already selected a greeting card with the perfect sentiment for my mom.
So…what is the moral of this story? Perhaps it is simply to TAKE TIME to reflect on the meaning of Mother’s Day. If you have been blessed with a Mother’s love in your life…TAKE TIME to thank her and make her feel special on MOTHER’S day.
A mother’s love knows no limits and sets no bounds…
What an extraordinary gift. Celebrate it with joy!
