This past weekend was National Son's day, according to Facebook. I'm not sure how I would keep up with so many things were it not for the ever so dependable social media. I know the month my friends were born, but thank you Facebook for popping up notifications reminding me on those exact days so I can shoot a quick "Happy Birthday!" their way. With all of the hazards of social media, this is one of the things I truly appreciate.
Also, those reminders about things such as National Daughter's Day and National Son's Day. In all honesty, I had no idea these two celebrations existed until social media popped up. I also enjoy getting to see pictures of babies being brought into our world in many families I have known most of my life. I am at the age when many of these are grandchildren of friends I have grown up with. We have such busy lives it is great to have this resource as a reminder.
This weekend was not only National Son's Day but my twin son's twenty-seventh birthday. Last night we were able to catch up one phone call at a time, and in this conversation my son Caleb was amazed. I told him that he would not be officially twenty-seven until 10:55 the following morning. He asked if I were reading his birth certificate. I laughed at this notion, but then I realized he was being serious.
I went on to explain to him that his brother was born at 10:45 and he was ten minutes later. Dr. Singleton had to use his forearm to help push him down and as an answered prayer he had flipped right and entered the world head first. He didn't believe I actually remembered these times twenty-seven years later. Granted I may be off a minute or two because in my mind the times are rounded to the quarter of an hour, but I told him Jonathan was born at 9:30 in the morning and Joshua after a twenty-four hour labor was born at 6:30 a.m.
I went on to tell him about the blood transfusions I had to have after he and his brother were born and how the doctor sat up with me that night with concern. It really isn't something a mother thinks much about, but he was truly fascinated to hear this story for the first time. It was shocking to him how specific my memory was for all four of my sons. And I explained to him that these are things a mother never forgets.
When I was growing up my mother would tell me all day long on my birthday that I wasn't really going to be that age until 11:30 that night. I was almost a December 30th baby. I always loved this because it reminded me how I was loved. And it really didn't matter because I always lived each year adding a year to my age. That is until I hit thirty. By the time I was thirty, I had become comfortable saying I had a ten year old, a nine year old, and six year old sons.
It was having this discussion with my sons that for the first time I realized the beauty of a mother's love and memory when it comes to her children. We may be forgotten in the busy lives of so many who love us dearly and then with a quick reminder from social media the "Oh my, I need to send this person my love and best wishes." But a mom carries these memories in her heart always. And knowing we have that special person out there is a great grounding force that adds importance to who we are as men and women. Unfortunately I have seen at times when this mother's love goes undelivered and the sad effects on a person's life as a result. The role of a mother is huge and never to be underestimated because a mother's love goes all the way back to the moment we entered this world!
