 |
|
|
Mother’s Twelfth Easter Sunday
It was Holy Week in the spring, of 1918 when my mother was twelve years old that rain made a deep impression upon her life. The story of that week comes to mind often as I look out the window and see rain falling from the sky. Mother was the oldest of six girls and one little boy who died shortly after birth but was never forgotten as part of a family financially poor but rich in faith, hope, and love.
Mother even as a child had a strong sense of pride and holding your head high and putting your best foot forward were streets she always walked on. Wearing your best clothes to Church required one to be inventive at times, and she always succeeded. Even when she was elderly and ill and I chose her Sunday clothes she required her best dress or slacks and top or gown and robe to be her Sunday wear.
Mother never gave up instilling within her younger sisters and in my nine brothers and sisters and me the quality of self-pride that guides one to look your best and do your best at all times. I can remember bringing home report cards from school and her first question was, “Did you do your best?” I know in my heart that I probably did not do my best however at the time I always answered, “Yes”.
During that Holy Week so long ago mother was planning to look her best on Easter Sunday when she walked from her home to her parish church. One of her aunts had given her a pretty dress made of cotton material with flowers of purple. She had nice paten leather shoes, but she did not have a matching hat. So she set out on Holy Saturday morning walking to town to find a hat. In the Thrift Shop she discovered a white straw hat that was not very clean but it only cost a dime and she bought it along with package of purple die and some white cotton ribbon. Filled with joy over her purchases for only twenty-five cents, with great anticipation she set off for home. She assured herself that she would look very nice in her new dress, paten leather shoes and purple hat as she attended Easter Sunday Mass.
Arriving home she prepared her package of purple die and proceeded to die her white straw hat which would become a beautiful purple hat with a white ribbon attached. Soon satisfied that her hat was just the right shade of purple she took it outside and placed it carefully onto an iron bench to dry in the sunlight of the day.
Mother awoke early on Easter Sunday morning and proceeded to get dressed for Church. As she left her house she was hopeful that someone might stop and give her ride to church that morning, but no one stopped as she hurriedly walked the long distance from her home to the Church.
Along the way her heart began to sink a little for she knew today she would not look her best! She felt the purple die as it began run down her face and onto her arms and dress. Nearing the Church the rain increased, the rain that had fallen on her pretty hat as she walked toward the Church wilted her straw hat and it was no longer the pretty purple hat of which she was so proud. But mother held her head high as she walked into the Church that morning knowing that she had tried her best and that God was happy with her efforts to look her best as she visited with Him that rainy Easter morning in 1918.
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
If you died today, are you absolutely certain that you would go to heaven? You can be right now. CLICK HERE
JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.
|
|
|
