🦅 Taking Care of Our Mothers

Just Winging It! Vol. 19, April 22, 2023

just winging it!

living life one day at a time, making it up as we go.

Welcome to just winging it!–the almost-every-other-month newsletter where I share some treasures I’ve found–books, music, products, recipes, websites, and more! In this issue, we’re going to talk about mothers, and how to care for them. I lost my own dear mother two years ago, so I’ll begin with her.

Remembering Mom.

I snapped the last compartment closed and set the Med-Minder on the counter. Mom’s meds were all counted and distributed for the next 31 days. Refills were ordered, and alarms were set.

My mother, once so sharp and organized, could no longer be trusted to manage her own medications. It was one of the first tasks I took over for her.

As her Alzheimer’s progressed, my Dad, my siblings, and I, as well as hired caregivers, stepped in to help Mom more and more. We did everything we could to preserve her health, beauty, and quality of life as long as we could. After all, she had cared for us for so many years. Returning that care was the least we could do.

During that time, I wrote a story to bring our caregiving into perspective. If you are a caregiver, naturally feeling the burden of that responsibility, this story is for you.

for my faithful followers…

Mom’s birthday is two weeks from today. She would have been 86. So many things remind me of her, but this time of year, with her birthday and Mother’s Day right around the corner, I especially miss her sweet smile.

Another mother needs our help.

Today, April 22, is Earth Day–the yearly reminder of our responsibilities as children on this earth.

Similar to my mom, Mother Earth is sick. After all her years of caring for us–providing us with food, water, fuel, and oxygen–she is slowly dying. We see her signs of aging on the daily news–forest fires, hurricanes, tornadoes, weather extremes, poor air quality, melting glaciers–all at increasing rates. Sadly, climate change is as real as my mother’s Alzheimer’s.

But what can we do about it? Earth is a REALLY BIG place and climate change is a REALLY BIG problem. Too big for any one person to make a dent, right?

Well, yes. But one plus one plus one…in your home, neighborhood, community, state, country, and around the globe… adds up, eventually, to about 8 billion. And if 8 billion “ones” all care for their Mother, what a wonderful world this would be!

So what can you do? Read on.

for browsers…

Top 10 Ways to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint and Save Money (the short version).

If you click on this list and find you’re already doing most of these things (Yay, you! 🎉), then check out these suggestions:

How to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint (the long version)

The main thing is to do something. Add one or two or ten things to what you are doing now to chip in on Mama Earth’s care. (Hint: One of the best ways to show you care is to support legislation that will bring about REALLY BIG changes.)

for watchers…

Reward yourself for making a difference this Earth Day, by hosting a movie night with your family, friends, or just you! Here’s a great list to choose from:

22 Best Earth Day Movies, Films, and Documentaries to Watch. Of this list, I highly recommend The Biggest Little Farm, a truly beautiful and inspiring story!

The all-consuming role of Mother.

In addition to Earth Day, today is also my oldest child’s birthday (Happy Birthday, Jared! 🎉). Every year on this day, I remember becoming a mother and the all-consuming role I took on.

Those early years are a blur to me. I’m certain my brain didn’t have enough energy to record many memories, so the main one I have is of a tired and frazzled mama, along with a bustling daddy, caring for their four little busy-bodies.

The baby and toddler years quickly evolved into school days and constant activities–soccer, gymnastics, Taekwondo, music lessons, dance, drama, track, tennis, concerts, and plays–filled every slot on our calendar. Or so it seemed. (Thankfully, they didn’t all happen at once!)

After what seemed like a blink, we were helping our kids study for the ACT and SAT, going on college visits, and packing up their things as one by one, they moved out of their bedrooms and into their dorm rooms.

Life on the homefront was finally quiet again. And even though my mama-brain could focus, my mama-heart was stretched to capacity. I said goodbyes, worried from afar, and prayed many prayers as each little one (now taller than I) left the nest.

My all-consuming role as “mother” persists. Even though my nest is empty now, my heart will never be, as those kids have filled up every last chamber. And then, along comes a song, a story, or a podcast that squeezes my heart until water comes out of my eyes.

for listeners…

Kate Bowler (author of NYT bestseller Everything Happens for a Reason and several other books) is a professor, author, and host of the podcast “Everything Happens.” In her recent episode (No More Do Overs), she interviews Mary Louise Kelly, host of NPR’s All Things Considered.

Kelly talks about the choices she made between her family and her career–the choices every parent has to make at some point–and how difficult, but necessary, those choices are. As her own nest empties, she’s more aware than ever that the time with kids at home is finite, and gently reminds us to cherish each day.

With Mother's Day around the corner, I encourage you not to miss this podcast. It’s beautiful and hard and gut-wrenching and funny–pretty much just like parenting!

for readers…

Oh, and Mary Louise Kelly is promoting her new book,

*It. Goes. So. Fast. The Year of No Do-Overs

I’ve just added it on Goodreads to my “Want-to-Read” list. If you’re staring down empty-nesting or trying to balance all things parenting, you might enjoy it too.

*(This is an affiliate link. If you go through it to make a purchase I will earn a small commission. I post this because I value the product and not because of the commission I receive.)

All mothers, everywhere.

wrapping up

I hope you’ve enjoyed Vol. 19 of just winging it! and have found some treasures to help you in whatever roles you serve. Whether caregiver, Mother-Earth-keeper, or parent to toddlers, tweens, teens, or adults, I hope you’ve found a nugget of truth and wisdom that encourages you in the roles you play.

Take care of others. 🤝

Take care of our Earth. 🌎

And please, take care of yourself. ❤️