My Mothers Pearls

My mother's pearls were her boys and girls. No greater treasure had she. Hands worn with care, I can still see her there. Kind and content as can be. When we would say she'd be rich someday. She'd smile at us tenderly. Her boys and her girls were my mother's pearls and no greater treasure had she. This is an old song that my mother loved us to sing. My sisters and brother and I would sing this in church and at reunions. We use to laugh at my mother about that song but now I am a mother I have found this song to be true. Our children are our greatest treasures.  I have 4 beautiful bright pearls. They each have a little different color to them but they all have that same brilliant luster that makes my necklace so precious. They each bring such joy to my life. I have been lucky to be able to add other pearls to my necklace.  My children's spouses and my little grandchildren have made my necklace grow into an incredible string of beauty.  As Mother's day is coming up I have had my mom on my mind a lot. She has been gone for a while and I miss her. Those of you who still have your mom's please take the time to love on them a little and let them know how special they are to you.   I  also had an experience about my mom that has been on my mind for a while. I feel like I need to share it with you to help you understand what a wonderful woman she was. When I was about 11-12 I had a friend that I spent a lot of time with. We would play at her house and all over the neighborhood but she would never come play at my house. I would always ask her why?  She told me one day that her mom would not let her come play at my house because my mother was fat, dirty, and lazy...I was just so shocked....My mother?  In my eyes my mother was beautiful. I did not think she was fat, she was not dirty(she was very strict about personal cleanliness) and lazy? NEVER. My mother got married at 16. Did not graduate high school but she always worked. (She later did get her GED when I graduated high school.) She had to do a lot of hard labor jobs but she did them. She worked in a cannery, a sewing plant, she cleaned houses for other people, weeded the cemetery, she worked in the school lunch program for years.  I do not remember a time when my mother didn't work until she retired. But back to my story.  I looked at my friend and began to bawl and left crying all the way home. When I got there my mom was right on me about what was wrong? Why was I crying?  I of course told my mother the conversation which I am sure broke her heart. She was a very proud woman and always worried about others opinions. I never spoke to that friend again and I now feel bad because she was only passing on what her mother had said. As I look back at this experience I realize that not to long after it my mother and my aunt joined TOPS (take off pound sensibly) They began to walk and would faithfully weigh each week. Oh, they were both so proud of the charms and awards they would get for weight loss. Mom would hang them on the wall and be so proud of them. My mother lost 60 pounds and became healthier. I don't remember how much my aunt lost but it was quite a bit too. Was this something good that came out of a hurtful comment? I want to think so. My mother found a way to take those hurtful words and turn them into something good. I know she must have suffered terribly from the hurt. My mom was able to keep her weight off the rest of her life. She was always very proud of that accomplishment. I was sure proud of her. She was a great example to me in many ways. Love you mom.