A Flower for Mom

Image by Andreas-photography via Flickr

Every year on Mother's Day, there was a battle between me and my father.

It was a tradition that seems to have been lost in the last 20 years, but on Mother's Day everyone wore a flower or corsage in honor of mothers. You wore red to honor the living and white to honor the deceased.

On the Saturday before Mother's Day, my father would stop by the florist to pick up all of the flowers for my mother and grandmothers. I always thought they were big and gaudy and I new hugging my grandmother at church that morning was going to be extra annoying when the huge floral arrangement on her shoulder connected with my face.

On Sunday morning, he walked outside to the rose bush and cut off flowers for me, my brother, and himself. I just didn't think it was right for a boy to wear a flower. After kicking and screaming, the quiet threat on my life was made clear from my father's stare. The battle ended quickly and I came around to honoring my mother by wearing the red rose.

My mom never met her grandchildren before passing away, but having kids of my own has created a new appreciation for my mom. And as for my wife, the mother of my children, I now understand why wearing that flower was so important to my father.

How will you honor the mothers in your life this year?