Putting it Together - Family

As I was washing dishes today I was remembering my Mom. She worked full time, cleaned all day Saturday and had fun on Sunday. I made a pledge when I was very young, not to spend as much time cleaning as she did. I kept that promise.

Mom danced around the house with a tissue on her forehead (to catch the perspiration), listening to Very Loud music (mostly musicals, West Side Story being the preferred) and cleaning to excess. Not only did she vacuum, mop, polish and launder, she took out all the good dishes and washed them and emptied the salt and pepper shaker and sugar bowl. I thought about her as I did the dishes wearing my headset, dancing to Lady Gaga and washing out the salt and pepper shakers for the first time in 6 months. Pepper shaker has been empty for probably two months, because I was too unmotivated to clean and refill.

I guess all in all, my mother influenced who I am today. I do chores to music, like she did. She also taught me that obsessing over cleanliness was a waste of time. Covered sugar gathers no dust after all.

I was listening to Born This Way too and I thought of how, no matter how odd I was, my mom encouraged me to be myself. I passed this on (I hope) to my children. There were times in my life when I was tormented by others because of my uniqueness, but she never suggested that I be anything other than what I was.

I even had problems in elementary school, because of my clothing, hair, and accessorizing. When the principal called Mom at work to complain, she politely reamed her and asked if there wasn't a better use of her time.  My daughter has done that very same thing with her children as I had with her and her brother. What a boring world we would live in if everyone was cookie cutter perfect.

Mom also encouraged me to follow my heart and my Art. I was pretty old when I got my BFA, but fortunately my mother lived to see me graduate and become a professional. She was proud of me though, no matter what I did. She passed away about a year after I found my field and became a success. Even though I left that career and am struggling at this indie internet seller thing, she would have been proud.

No matter what your relationship with your parents, and my mom was VERY annoying at times, they have formed who you are. If you love who you are, they have laid a good foundation. That's all you need to put it all together.

"Don't hide yourself in regret
Just love yourself and you're set
I'm on the right track, baby
I was born this way"     - Lady Gaga - Born this Way