My Mother's Daughter

There are times in your life where you catch yourself doing something and realize that your actions are not new. The actions are learned. Such a moment occurred last week when I was using a sharpie (one of the greatest creations ever) to color in my black sunglasses frame. I love nice sunglasses but I have a tendency to break or lose them so I have been purchasing cheap pairs from Target. They protect my eyes and I am not bugged when I break them. It seems like a win-win situation. As I was coloring in my frames with a black sharpie (which is really bizarre, I know), my mind suddenly went back to memories of my Mom. 

As my Mom grew older, she became far sighted. This was a problem because my Mom was a reader. Compulsive reader. Being far-sighted was very inconvenient. She bought some prescription glasses only to break them a shortly after. Then she realized that she could buy a 6 pack of reading glasses at Costco for a bargain. But she continually broke the glasses, whether it be one temple or both temples. the temple padding, the nose guards - it was a common sight to see my Mom reading something holding up a pair of mangled glasses - it got the job done - who cares what they looked like? And she keep adding more glasses to her collection. We teased her constantly and all over the house there were glasses tucked into drawers, on dressers, in her car, purse, dining room table. She really didn't mind what they looked like - only that they worked. 

The most memorable moment with glasses came when I came home late one night and found Mom reading in bed. She wasn't holding up a pair of glasses and the frames were on straight which told me that she had found one unbroken pair until I realized that she had TAPED the glasses to her head. Both of the temples were missing, so she literally put 2 long pieces of scotch tape (which she thought wouldn't hurt as bad when she removed her makeshift glasses) and taped them to her temples and hair. Our own little Benjamin Franklin. As I laughed until I cried, she was completely non-plussed. She chuckled but could hardly acknowledge me, she was reading a book and didn't have to hold up her glasses like a monacale - mission accomplished. 

As my chipped black sunglasses were "fixed", I realized that this makeshift attempt was actually something my Mother would do. I would like to believe I would never use tape to make my sunglasses work but I can't say never. Ten years ago, I never thought I would actually use a sharpie to color in something (think toe nails, sunglasses and millions of other uses). But here I am. With a rainbow of sharpie colors and a lot of imagination. He-he. I think my Mom would be proud. 

The funny part is that when she passed away, I didn't really want any of her belongings.  She didn't wear jewelry and her clothes didn't fit me. What I wanted most was a pair of those silly reading glasses. Preferably a broken pair. Isn't it funny that our most valuable possessions are sometimes the little things? Like a broken pair of glasses that makes you chuckle when you see them? Or the fact that I proudly realized that my desire to use a sharpie to fix things is probably something genetic that my Mom passed on to me?

This is my Mother's Day tribute - very late but I am always late - it is another gift from my Mother. And taped glasses?  I am actually sure my Mom is chuckling right now. It was one of her finer moments. What can I say? I am proud to be my mother'sdaughter. Sharpie and all.

 

Mom's glasses. Please note the missing temple on one side and temple padding replaced with a band-aid. Klassy.