Make a Memory Box for Mother's Day

Sunday is Mother’s Day! Give Mom (and the other women who have mothered you) a gift she won’t expect: a memory box.

One year, I was looking forward to lavishing my mom with attention on Mother’s Day. After singing and just before the sermon started, she leaned over to me in church and whispered that she was leaving early to check on the meat roasting in the oven at home.

Wow, was I mad.

(Not my finest moment.)

So, as the preacher began the sermon, I sat there and fumed. Didn’t Mom know I wanted to be there with her on her special Sunday? And why was she cooking, anyway? She was supposed to take a break, for goodness’ sake. It was definitely not shaping up to be the Mother’s Day I’d imagined.

But it was Mother‘s Day, not my day, and she was cooking because that’s what she wanted to do on her day. I knew if I didn’t fix my irritation (and, let’s face it: self-centeredness) soon, I’d be sulky instead of lavish with love. And that’s not how I wanted to be!

So to transform my attitude, I flipped to a clean sheet of notebook paper and started writing down all of Mom’s fabulous characteristics, talents, and gifts. I even wrote down a couple of short, funny stories if I could squeeze them onto one or two lines. I spent the whole sermon filling the front and back of the page (sorry, Preacher!). By the time church was over, I’d soothed my ruffled feathers and could show up at Mom’s house like the angel I am instead of Stompy-Foot the Grouch.

I handed Mom the paper along with her actual gift. But she was riveted on that sheet of dollar store notebook paper full of hastily-scribbled lines.

Ya’ll? She cried. Then she framed it.

I still feel pretty bad about it. See, I thought she knew a.) how great she is, and b.) that I thought she was great. Turns out, my feelings weren’t so clear. Let this be a reminder to you that your writing and creativity can be used to brighten your family’s days. You don’t have to compose a masterpiece for it to count as “real” writing; letters and lists are important.

Get a little box. It can be ornate, with finely-carved wood and high-end fittings, or a simple cardboard craft box that you let the rest of the family decorate. Fill it with bits and bobs that will remind Mom of some special memories: a scrap of fabric from a favorite dress you bought together, photos, receipts from meaningful outings, brochures from events you attended, shells from an ocean vacation. These don’t have to be precious valuables! You can assemble what might appear to be random items, but things that when viewed together will tell of a loving history.

And, most importantly, set aside half an hour and write a big list of all your favorite things about her. Because even though you think she already knows, she might not!

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Happy Mother’s Day! What’s one of your most memorable Mother’s Day gifts?