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AJC.com > Metro > View from the cop > Archives > 2007 > May > 11 > Entry
Do whatever it takes on Mother’s Day
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Mother’s Day, a national day of guilt, is upon us.
It is one of the two really important days for children, especially the male species. The other day of guilt of course is Valentine’s Day but the similarities stop there.
Valentine’s Day is like taking a test that you had a lot of time to study for. You know it’s coming every February 14th but yet some still fail the test by way of laziness and selfishly not caring enough to remember. There is no such thing as too busy to remember Valentine’s Day. Those who fail pay the price and soon begin their new life of celibacy. Fortunately for them there are video games.
Mother’s Day is the varsity of all holidays that you need to score well on. Screwing this one up makes the Valentine’s Day screw up seem like only being five minutes late checking into your probation office.
This is your heads-up to enjoy this next year by way of calling, visiting, mailing a card and/or flowers, buying a cruise or a new Harley for your mom.
This isn’t like father’s Day. Father’s Day is easier because father’s look at this day as a freebie day. Father’s Day is as simple as buying a new tool. No flowers and no card. You can get one of course but it’s not necessary. All we need is something cool and we have a long list of cool things that you can get. Go to the hardware store. Go to the golf store. Go to the electronics store. Buy something cool and we’re good.
That doesn’t work with moms. Why? Mom is the one who usually wiped your butt. Dads found ways to avoid it whenever possible. The number of times my kid’s mom wiped their butts was fifty-fold to me. There were times that I was caught off guard and trapped in the house with a child in dirty diapers. Fortunately, we lived near a hospital.
Mother’s Day is your annual chance to pay a very little price for all those times that you don’t remember but she does. She remembers when you got sick in the middle of the night and threw up all over her back while she held you. You don’t remember all of those times but she does. Mothers are organized. They keep a log. I think they have secret meetings where they network. They know everything and some of it you don’t want out on the street.
Do yourself a favor and honor your mom and your kid’s mom. Watch the kids while she goes out or do the dishes or plant a tree for her or buy the overpriced Jimmy Buffett blender or clean the deck or pay for her new tattoo or clean her guns.
Whatever it takes, do it.
Happy Mother’s Day.
Comments
Commenting is now closed for this entry.
By Starwood
May 11, 2007 11:41 AM | Link to this
Steve,
Nice sentiments but not all mothers deserve to be honored.
By Momof1
May 11, 2007 1:06 PM | Link to this
Steve, if you ever quit the police force, you will have a great career as a stand up comedian. I love your columns.
I will honor my Mother this weekend. Although I honer her all year long with my actions. The woman raised me to be confident, self-sufficient, and loved. I wouldn’t trade her for ANYTHING.
And as an adoptee, I know I was chosen by this woman to be her child. For that I am very grateful and I will continue to honor her until the day I die.
By not blonde
May 11, 2007 1:30 PM | Link to this
@starwood - You seem to have a lot of anger. Better change that.
By umoja
May 11, 2007 1:43 PM | Link to this
@starwood-consider forgiving for mothers day, it will lift the burden you may be carrying.
By msteven
May 11, 2007 1:51 PM | Link to this
I am a caregiver and 24hr nurse to my 93yr old moms. I am 51, a black single male. I refuse to put my moms in a nursing home to be mistreated. Everyday is Mothers Day to me. If not for her I would not be on this message board and neither would @starwood. @starwood since you feel that way towards the woman that carried you for 9mons and gave you life. the process should be reversed and you sent back to an egg that is donated to science for research. you should never have been born with that attitude. I recommend you be exterminated immediately.
By msteven
May 11, 2007 1:52 PM | Link to this
I am a caregiver and 24hr nurse to my 93yr old moms. I am 51, a black single male. I refuse to put my moms in a nursing home to be mistreated. Everyday is Mothers Day to me. If not for her I would not be on this message board and neither would @starwood. @starwood since you feel that way towards the woman that carried you for 9mons and gave you life. the process should be reversed and you sent back to an egg that is donated to science for research. you should never have been born with that attitude. I recommend you be exterminated immediately.
By what the ?
May 11, 2007 1:57 PM | Link to this
Glad the tax payers of Sandy Springs tolerate you writing banal columns in a leftist newspaper while on police duty time…..
By Opinionated
May 11, 2007 2:11 PM | Link to this
I think Starwood’s point was that there are many women who happen to have given birth and are therefore a mother but they aren’t a mom who is worthy of honor.
Just like there are many sperm donors who by that very fact are a father but that doesn’t make them a dad and worthy of honor.
Of course, all of us are here because we had a mother and a father. But did everyone have a MOM and/or a DAD? It takes sacrifice to be a mom or a dad.
While you can honor your mother for the mere fact that she gave birth to you, it doesn’t mean she made the sacrifices it takes to be a mom to you.
By Jennie
May 11, 2007 2:28 PM | Link to this
Kudos to you msteven! Too many people are “too busy” to take care of their parents. Sometimes professional care is unavoidable and a person’s conditions are too difficult to be taken care of at home. I doubt anyone on their death bed thinks “I wish I had put my mom in a home sooner” though! I wish you all the luck and hope you don’t feel guilty if things do become too much for you to do on your own.
By john
May 11, 2007 2:41 PM | Link to this
Steve - I used to email you from Lubbock, Texas. Now I’m in Poplar Bluff MO. Do me a favor and disregard the negative comments you receive. You are the best journalist currently writing for the AJC. You have one hell of a wry sense of humor. Keep up the good work. John.
By not blonde
May 11, 2007 2:42 PM | Link to this
Opinionated: Maybe they were’nt a mom, but they brought someone into the world. Don’t judge.
By CaliGal
May 11, 2007 3:06 PM | Link to this
Nice column Steve. My mom’s been gone for 5 years, and I can’t tell you how much I’ve been wishing she was here to celebrate Mother’s Day with. Guess I was lucky - she was an awesome Mom.
My kids don’t always remember the exact date, but the fact that they are both in college, don’t drink or use drugs, aren’t promiscuous, and are turning into wonderful people is a precious gift. Their success makes every day Mother’s Day for me.
By Becky
May 11, 2007 3:17 PM | Link to this
Trust me there are a lot of females out there that have given birth, but aren’t Mom’s..I have a sh*tload of them in my family.. msteven, you’re Mother is indeed a very lucky Mom.. what the ?, if you don’t like this blog, don’t join in. Steve, John said it all…Starwood, sorry that you feel that way about your Mom.
By Opinionated
May 11, 2007 3:25 PM | Link to this
not blonde, I am NOT judging.
I am merely attempting to point out that just because someone brought another into the world doesn’t necessarily make them worthy of honor. It takes sacrifice to be a good parent which would, in turn, make them absolutely worthy of honor.
It seems to me that there were others who posted who WERE were passing judgement on Starwood such as you, msteven and umoja.
Starwood didn’t sound angry to me, he/she was stating a fact. It also doesn’t make them worthy of being “exterminated immediately” as msteven stated.
By CBS
May 11, 2007 3:26 PM | Link to this
I agree - some mothers are not to be honored, but whomever was the mother in your life should be given ALL honor. Mine was my grandmother who will always be MOTHER to me! I believe my biological mother was the vessel that the Master used to place me in the arms of my BELOVED MOTHER! There are so many different situations out there and one cannot be judgmental!
By Opinionated
May 11, 2007 3:32 PM | Link to this
CBS, I totally agree with you. If someone other than the “vessel” who gave birth to you stepped into the shoes of being “mom” then they are completely and fully worthy of being honored not only on Mother’s Day but every day. They didn’t have to do that, but they did and deserve every honor you can possible give.
By mustang100
May 11, 2007 4:38 PM | Link to this
I like Father’s Day better myself. Just take ol’ Dad and hoist a few together at the strip club. The first and only time I tried to celebrate Mother’s day this way, she made me take her home.
By mustang100
May 11, 2007 4:39 PM | Link to this
I like Father’s Day better myself. Just take ol’ Dad and hoist a few together at the strip club. The first and only time I tried to celebrate Mother’s Day this way, she got mad, wouldn’t even get out of the truck, and made me take her home.
By Shar
May 11, 2007 4:45 PM | Link to this
CaliGal, I am with you completly. My own fabulous mom always says that Mother’s Day is a Hallmark holiday, its purpose more to make guilt money for corporations than to be meaningful to mothers. My three kids are as yours, and I am so very fortunate. Every once in awhile, though, they remember on their own to say thanks for the mothering they’ve had, or they come home with a gift that made them think of me. That is so refreshing and so much more heartfelt than feeling guilty once a year!
By j
May 11, 2007 5:41 PM | Link to this
Seems to me that if you give a gift to someone, it should be because you want to instead of because you feel guilty. Do people not enjoy giving gifts a few times a year? I enjoy giving because I like to make others happy. As a mom, I’m happy to just be appreciated, and with any gift I get, I want it to be given because I’m actually loved instead of the giver feeling obligated or pressured. And I’m not the type to give the giver a guilt trip if the gift isn’t elaborate. It’s the thought that counts. If you don’t want to, don’t bother yourself. If that’s the case for all/most dads, we should just do away with all mothers and fathers days, and relieve the hassle for both parties.That way no one has to be inconvenienced. sheesh
By L L
May 11, 2007 8:54 PM | Link to this
AMEN Mustang100.
By rod
May 12, 2007 10:26 PM | Link to this
mutha this biotches
By KJill
May 12, 2007 11:24 PM | Link to this
I just KNOW you did not take those babies to the hospital when their diapers needed changing Officer Steve, and if you did, how long was it before Officer Sandy allowed you back into the house or near her babies? Men!!??!!
By Little Elvis
May 13, 2007 8:08 AM | Link to this
My wife AIN’t my Mother! Just like I am NOT her Father! Enough said………
By starwood
May 15, 2007 1:13 PM | Link to this
Dear Opinionated, You said it much more eloquently than I did, thank you. That’s exactly the sentiment I wanted to convey.