Mother's Day 2005

I have had a lovely and perfect day. It began with my one request being honoured - a cup of coffee in bed, brought to me by my sweet husband. A simple request, to be sure, but a deeply meaningful one for someone whose husband is, more often than not, away on most holidays. One simple cup of coffee means more to me than any bauble or trinket or overpriced box of chocolate or piece of crap that Madison Avenue tries to guilt-trip America into buying for their Mammas.

I am acutely aware that this has not been such a beautiful day for many mothers in this country. Cindy Sheehan lost her son a little over a year ago. Spc. Casey Sheehan died on April 4, 2004, in Baghdad.

Cindy writes, "Reporting about Iraq is always trumped by such as child molesters, Martha Stewart, Terri Schiavo, Scott Peterson, the American Idol, or now, Runaway Brides!" Yeah, what she said.

When the United States first invaded Iraq, I kept telling myself, "keep your head down and your mouth shut when you're out and about in this military town." Two years on, there isn't enough sand in the world in which to bury my head. The pain and strain is omnipresent to those with eyes to see it and hearts to feel it. Sadly, tragically, pathetically .. it just isn't on the radar these days. A few days ago, I was buying some fabric remnants at Joann's Fabrics. Two ladies at the check-out asked me what I made with these fabrics. Here's how the conversation progressed:

Rose: I make quilts.
Big haired ladies: Oh, my niece makes quilts. She has a machine that cost over $3000.
Rose: *blink* *blink* That's a lot of money!
Big haired ladies: Yeah, she's really into it.
Checkout lady: Quilting is very addictive.
Big haired ladies: Yeah, but .. don't you get quilted out after a while? I mean, what do you do with all those quilts?
Rose: Well, right now I'm working on a Quilt of Valor to be sent to a wounded soldier at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
Big haired ladies: *blink*
Rose: Umm .. the quilts are sent to a chaplain, who presents the quilt to a Purple Heart recipient ..
Big haired ladies: *vacuous expression*
WHOOOOOOSH .. the concept flew right over their heads

Might as well stick with the original head down, mouth shut plan. Maybe I should end the TV moratorium. Then, perhaps, I could become comfortably numb like the rest of America.