Mother's Day

For years my favorite indulgence on this holiday is to spend much of the day in the garden. Digging, planting, admiring, comtemplating. Kind of like parenting. Nurturing the  blooms through the seasons, and encouraging them to take on a life of their own. Feeding the soil that will allow them to put down firm roots. Doing what you can to manage the weeds that will undoubtedly try to run interference. And realizing that time, weather, and the changing winds of the climate and zone in which you plant will ultimately have the final say. But aahh! the splendor of any season in bloom!
With that in mind, I headed out for my early morning walk today. After weeks of unbelievably early warmth bringing lilacs into bloom a good 2-3 weeks ahead of schedule, it is cool today. Maybe more contemplation that planting....
I stopped short of the end of the driveway. A bed of tulips in full bloom yesterday was shy a lot of petals and color. It was breezy, but not so much that it was likely the wind had scattererd the petals I saw strewn on the lawn and sidewalk ahead. On closer examination, I saw the severed stems, some ripped off close to the bloom, others further down.
A slow curdle, as I realized neighborhood children had likely struck. I had this happen last year - and actually caught them while walking back down the street with the dog. They - at least the 5 year old- were apologetic. As I walked down the street today......following a trail of petals to the house where I knew the likely culprits lived...I tried to rationalize and dispel my anger.  Maybe they had picked them for their mother, knowing no other way to say thank you. That thought calmed me somewhat. But step by step I saw that they had simply discarded them, petal by petal. She loves me, she loves me not?? OK, pushing down more anger and frustration - it was too early to knock on their door and ask what exactly they were thinking??? - I tried to imagine other possibilities.
I know that the mother of these children has been in and out of jail.  She is seldom and irregularly involved in their lives. They are being raised by grandparents who are at a loss to control the unbridled anger that erupts regularly and loudly through the doors and windows of their little house. I know that the most out of control of these children has sat mournfully on a stoop with a neighbor and reported that his mother hates him. All of this backstory actually helps to quell my being ticked off at the loss of a handful of tulips. Anger to sadness to hope - that whatever pleasure derived from those flowers yanked from my garden was worth it. Even, I suppose if is jealousy that I have a yard full of flowers where they have only dirt.
A wise psychologist said that the one thing that we need in this life is unconditional love. From someone. Anyone. With it we can flourish. Without it, it is almost impossible to bloom. For most of us, this comes first and foremost from our mothers.
My own mother always put her children and grandchildren first. Though she had many hardships as well as many successes in her life, she was first and foremost and always, a wonderful, loving, and supportive mother.  I picked up one of the tulip heads off the sidewalk, and brought it home to put in a little vase that I inherited from her. Thank you, Mom. And Happy Mother's Day!!