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As a woman who has lived through many passages and learned through my larger than life experiences (positive and negative), I’ve discovered how to take a big empowering bite out of life.

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Timeless Wisdom and Inspiration From My Mother

I Am My Mother's Daughter

I Am My Mother’s Daughter

As Mother’s Day approaches, I can’t help but think about my fabulous mother and how she has guided my life. I may live bi-coastally, but my mom is always with me because, in most ways, I am my mother’s daughter!

Reflecting on how we differ, I think it is important to take from our mothers what we love about their persona and toss aside what we don’t embrace. And I have.

My mom and I differ in three ways. She is very critical because it is her way of showing she cares.  I am not at all critical, and I care just as much! She is the trunk of a tree, hard to bend. I am a pliable branch who sees the whole picture.

She is not as sentimental. I cherish each little present, placing them on my memory shelf.  She showers me with love and words of advice. I shower my daughters and daughter-in-law with love, hugs, kisses, and advice…when asked!

The Mother-Daughter Relationship

The mother-daughter relationship is complicated. Most all of them have hills and valleys. Mine is no different.

My mother was powerful and controlling, and I was not a shrinking violet by any stretch of the imagination. That is not to say that I was disrespectful. I honored my parents. I just had my vision of who I was. My mother, on the other hand, had her idea of who I should be!

As I matured into adulthood, I was sure I was not a clone of my mother. I was my own woman. But as it turns out, at my mother’s ninetieth birthday party luncheon, with fifty women in attendance, including her friends, granddaughters, nieces and my darling daughters-in-law, I realized that I am my mother’s daughter in more ways than not.

My Mother

My Mother’s 90th Birthday

We sat at one long table upstairs in a private dining room at Gibson’s, a favorite restaurant in my beautiful Chicago. My mother and brother sat at one end and my husband, Shelly and me at the other.

I glanced at the setting, and I could not make up my mind what was more beautiful, the gorgeous flowers down the length of the entire table or my mother’s friends from ages eighty-eight to ninety-six!

As lunch progressed with abundant laughter and chatter from everyone permeating the room, I decided to stand up and ask each of the women to tell a story about my mother.

I sat listening intently as her girlfriends and our family told stories about my mother and her life. I realized through those stories I was so much like my mother. “Why did this revelation take me so long,” I asked myself, as I sat listening.

I think it took so long because so many stories hit me at once and they just fit into ‘a small book’ in my mind, and the full story and picture of my mother suddenly came to light!

When it was my turn, the last to speak, I stood up and said, toasting my mother with a glass of champagne in hand poised directly at her: “I AM my mother’s daughter!”

My mother stood up and toasted me, “Your toast is the best toast a mother can receive from a daughter.”

I remember my eyes flooding with tears of joy, and I felt such deep love and respect for ‘this mother of mine.’ I remember saying a little prayer to myself, “God, bless my darling mother and keep her safe and in good health.”

Me and Mom

My Mother Today

My mom is now ninety-seven and has weathered so much in the past several years. She has suffered from a broken hip, requiring two surgeries, a broken wrist, and almost choked to death! She should not be alive, but alive she is! And God is granting my prayer.

The other day, I said to her, “Mom, you are a sage dripping with advice. Would you share your wisdom with my Honey Good readers?”

“This will be fun,” she replied. “I would love to!”

I asked her questions on several topics but did not have to write them down because they are all stored away neatly in my head. After all, I am my mother’s daughter!

A Mother-Daughter Q&A

Here are my questions followed by her replies:

“Mom, give me your advice on what gives a woman her style.”

“The basis of style is being able to understand who you are and how you want to represent yourself. It is a combination of many things.

For instance, it is ‘your look’ that sets you apart from everyone else, your taste in books, your taste in female friends, your taste in a home, it is your values, your joy in life. As you get older, dear daughter of mine, don’t be afraid; move with grace and expose your wisdom.”

“What about gossip among women, Mom?”

“If you tell one woman a secret, it is no longer a secret!” She replied with a twinkle in her beautiful blue eyes.

“Mom, what if you know people are talking about you?”

“That’s an easy one! If people are talking about you, you know you are interesting!”

“Mom, sometimes our children disappoint us. How do we deal?”

“This is an old saying, but a true saying: One mother can take care of ten children. Ten children cannot take care of one mother. You give your children their roots and then their wings. It is the progression of life.”

The Wisdom Didn’t Stop There!

“Mom, what is your philosophy on friendship?”

“Have women friends from all walks of life. A clique becomes a bore. And, don’t expect from most and you will not be disappointed.”

“Mom tell me your secret on aging beautifully.”

“I exercise my mind; not my body!”

“What about skin care, Mom?”

“Use olive oil on your skin. Stop with the facelifts! You cannot hide age. Your lines show your life, your persona. Smile!”

“You and Dad had a wonderful marriage. What do you attribute this to?”

“You know what I told you when you were to become a bride; a woman makes a marriage. Those five words are worth their weight in gold, in more ways than one!!”

We laughed!

“Mom what do you attribute to your longevity?”

“Sometimes I wish it was not so long!! I suppose it may be my lack of fear and my love of laughter. And you! You keep telling me, “MOM, I NEED YOU!”

I did not answer, but instead, just smiled. I got out of my chair, wrapped my arms around “this mother of mine” and whispered in her ear, “I do need you.”

She looked at me with her twinkling blue eyes, kissed me and said, “I need you more.”

We shared a smile, in the unique way that only Mothers and Daughters do. 

Please feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below or on FacebookTwitter, and Instagram.

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May 10, 2018

Relationships

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  1. Annmarie W. says:

    Thank you for another wonderful blog post! I needed to read this one today, as my own daughter is a teen and sometimes our relationship can be strained & difficult. And this was a nice reminder that ‘this too shall pass’ and a reminder that our relationship will continue to change and grow over time.

  2. Tootsiecookie says:

    What a wonderful luncheon & conversation! Here’s to next year!!!!!!

  3. Janice Gineris says:

    Susan, this is a beautiful tribute to your mother. I only wish I could have shared more of my life with my mother ( She was killed in an automobile accident at age fifty.) However, the memories I do have are priceless!
    May God Bless you both.
    Janice Gineris

    • Honey Good says:

      Hi Janice,
      I am so glad we reconnected. It is so nice to hear from you. I am sorry you lost your mom. She is with you as you know because you carry her values that you pass to your children and grandchildren.
      Thank you for blessing me and my mom. I am very touched.

      Very warmly,
      Susan

  4. Darlene Almarez says:

    What a beautiful story of love between mother and daughter.Thanks for sharing your beautiful love story .

  5. Shirley Weiner Alexander says:

    That was a beautiful story. Very touching! I feel so lucky to live in the same city as my daughter, two of my grandchildren and great grandchild. We have family dinner every Sunday.

  6. Linda says:

    Hi Susan,

    My Mom is 96 and also a beauty. Mom used Ponds cold cream and never perchased expensive products or treatments. She truly is not wrinkled, not vain (although she is never seen without her earrings) and bequeathed me a legacy of the Mediterranean diet, fresh ingredients and MODERATION. Unfortunately, I have not always followed my mother’s sterling example, but my 2 daughters have. Lucky me!!!

    I love being a part of your blog family,

    Linda Schlesinger

    • Honey Good says:

      Hi Linda,
      We are so lucky to have our moms! I also have two daughters! We share the fact that we have our moms and two daughters!!! And sound advice. I love and appreciate that you are part of my blog family. Makes me happy!
      Warmly,
      Honey

  7. Judi seidl says:

    Thank you honey for this beautiful tribute to your mother. I so enjoyed reading her wisdom, much like my own mother’s was. God bless you and your mother. Happy Mother’s Day.

    • Susan "Honey" Good says:

      Thank you for your kind words. We were blessed to have marvelous moms. Warmly, Honey

  8. Judi says:

    Such a lovely story and s lovely caring beautiful relationship with your mother. I can always tell the love you have for her when you speak of her. You are so blessed to continue to have her in your life and I know you know it. My mother who I adore passed away 35 years ago this August from cancer. She was 52, I had just turned 29, I still miss her incredibly everyday. I will always cherish my memories of my mother, and I know you will continue to cherish yours, as I know you do.

  9. Mary Jane Chapman says:

    Such a special conversation with your beloved mother! I so wish mine was still here. We shared a birthday and I was with her when she took her last breath. I relish the happy memories of her. My daughter was very close to her and for a school assignment, she had to “interview” my mom. It was the best account of her life growing up! My mom even sang a cute little song she remembered when young. Priceless! Thank goodness we recorded it and can listen to it again just to hear her voice.
    Wishing you and your lovely mom a very Happy Mother’s Day! ????

  10. Pam Kuck says:

    You know you are blessed with a wonderful mother-a big Thank you for sharing her advice with us. She is a fantastic role model for all women! I too have a wonderful mother who takes pride in her appearance-no face lifts-just loves each day. God bless you.

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