OGT DAILY Day One Hundred and Nineteen MOTHERS

Of course!   A shout out to all the mothers in my life, my sisters, my nieces, and all the various aunties who have been surrogate mothers to me over the years.  To my friends who have children. To all the new mother's I now know who are reveling in the joy of their new babies. Special recognition to all of you who have lost your mother - a feeling I now understand.  And finally to all the mothers who have lost a child or are struggling with a sick child or infant.   Special blessings and love to you.  

Woodcut by Ade Bethune 

In Joan Borysenko's daily book of meditations she calls for us to feel gratitude for that which is healthy and not broken in our lives.  I am so grateful for my lovely, healthy children with whom I spent the afternoon looking at art - and their father of course!   We had dinner at the MET Breuer restaurant Flora after looking at Marsden Hartley's paintings of Maine and Brazilian artist Lygia Pape's golden thread sculpture.

Lobster pots and church in Corea, Maine

Lygia Pape

Flora is a delightful place with really good food - well worth the price.  Especially their excellent tuna tartare.

When I returned home I discovered my own mother's funeral prayer card on my desk (See above).  It was an image drawn by my aunt Ade Bethune, a liturgical artist, who made it in the likeness of my mother and what looks like my brothers Joe in her arms and Chris having his nose wiped.  It really captures the way mothers must have eight arms like an octopus and eyes in the back of their head to keep up with crying infants and busy toddlers.   My mother certainly did a lot of that. "I have eyes in the back of my head," was one of her favorite expressions.

Me as an infant with my mother.

Seven out of ten. What a crazy crew.