Mummy

This week's Five Minute Friday prompt:

What My Mama Did

For me, her cozy name is Mommy, pronounced like Mummy. An English holdover I guess, part of the New England heritage my parents brought to the west coast with them. I heard that J.K. Rowling had to edit her Harry Potter series for U.S. publication because she used the endearing term Mummy - perfectly sensible in England, but not here in the U.S. I could never pronounce it like I was yawning, Mawmmy. It has to be a short "u" like a hug, Mummy. But I digress.

My one-word for 2013 is, "quiet." Learning a deep inside, calm sense of quiet trust and love and grace. He leads me beside still waters.

Last Sunday, for my verse and photo I used a quote about Psalm 23, about going through the valley of shadows, and remembering a shadow is cast by a light behind it.

Thinking of what my Mummy did for me, across all those years - how do you isolate just one thing?

One vivid memory. We were in our kitchen, that minty green so popular in the late 50's. She was ironing, standing at the board, sprinkling water on the clothes from an old soda bottle topped with a corked metal thingy with holes, running the heavy metal iron over them, pressing out the corners of collars and smoothing out the wrinkles. I was probably bugging her, hounding her about something. She taught me Psalm 23. Had me repeat it over and over until I got it word perfect. Me, sitting, restless, on the kitchen floor. She, standing, her hands busy, offering me words that would stay with me, guide me the rest of my life. Then she sent me outside to play.

She had to put her hair up in pin curls every night. Mine just curled on its own.

And now, fifty some years later, the voice of those peaceful, calm words still ring in my heart. Deeply, their truths revealing and splashing refreshing comfort over my restless days. And I am grateful she took the time to teach me those quiet words.