ANNA MONICA

Let’s not forget our moms It was quite a few years ago, but I remember it well. Ruth LeBoeuf (now Gauthier), Etienne LeBlanc (now Father Steve) and I were vacationing and stopped over in Houston to visit her cousins, May and John Wilson. May is a Garyville native and the sister of my neighbor, Gloria Borne, and their mother was the late Edna LeBoeuf. At that time, Mrs. LeBoeuf had just left Houston after visiting with the Wilsons. May told us that after her mother had left, she found her apron left hanging behind the kitchen door. It made May cry again in realizing how much she loved and missed her mother. The other day in Big Lots, some little kid called out “mama” and just about every woman present automatically turned her head. I truly believe it is the most common, well known, most used word in the entire world, the one word, the one “something” all humans and most living things have in common – we have or have had one n a mom. Probably, too, we all have our special memories that relate to our mothers in a special way n our own special “apron behind the kitchen door memory.” Not too many moms wear aprons these days, I believe. The image of mom in the kitchen has changed dramatically. More of them are in business suits, some might be in exercise clothes or whatever, and few are at home all day. Regardless, they are still moms, doing what moms have done throughout the ages, and for the most part, they are still the first person we look for when the events in our lives turn good or bad. There is something really, really comforting about our moms. For instance; Michael Schoen is a fine young man, a teen-ager, and really good golfer, who was at the Relay for Life participating in the games and having a good time. His mom, Sheryl, a team member, was standing next to me during the luminary ceremony at the relay. The ceremony is truly beautiful and stirring, evoking deep emotions. During the ceremony, Michael came and stood right up against his mom. Sheryl told me afterward that he had been deeply touched. To me, it was moving that this young man at that moment needed the comfort of the presence of his mom. My long-time friend, Eleanor G’sell, once reminded me, “We never outgrow our need for our mothers, even though we need to be independent.” At the relay, some little kid came up to our tent for water and cookies but had no money. We had agreed beforehand that no one was to be denied for lack of money. Regardless, Martha Leach, a mom, took money from her own purse to pay for everything he wanted. Then, another mom, Jo Ann Falterman, had to deal with a youngster who was using our tennis balls and wanted to know “where the other part of it was n that stick.” Jo Ann patiently took time to explain to him about tennis balls and racquets. Moms seem to naturally understand difficult situations. Mother’s Day is the busiest day for florists and if you can get your long distance phone call through on that day, you are really lucky. Just about everyone remembers their mom, or should, on that special day, designated in her honor. So, it’s the American way to commercialize. Anyhow, happy Mother’s Day to all you moms, moms-to-be, would-be moms and those of us who act or feel like moms. May your children all develop memories as warm and loving as the one of “the apron behind the kitchen door.” ANNA MONICA, a resident of Garyville, writes this column every Wednesday for L’Observateur.