I kiss her powdery cheek.

I have been thinking of my mom all day today. Maybe it is because of Mother's Day coming up Sunday. It started last night when I read this passage from "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett": '"Alright, Mama." I kiss her powdery cheek.' Those two sentences tugged at my heart for that was my mom--powdery cheek. I used to give my mom facials at least once a week. I would start with Pond's cold cream to cleanse her soft face, arch her eye brows, put eye makeup on her eyes, and powder her face. She loved our ritual, but I think I enjoyed it more.

Then this morning as I was deadheading my roses, she popped into my mind again. I never remember my mom ever deadheading her roses probably because she never had the time. She was lucky to have 35 seconds alone in the bathroom without at least a couple of her 5 kids hollering "momma?" She had a red rose bush just like my pink ones, floribundas I believe they are called; as I recall hers was called American Beauty. On Mother's Day it was a tradition that we pinned a red rose on our dresses for church. We got to pick our own rose, a red bud; perfect! Even my brother and dad had a rose for their suits. In those days mom and dad's mothers were still alive and a red rose was appropriate. We were lucky because some people had to wear white which indicated that their mother was no longer living. In our small church they would give corsages to the youngest mother, to the oldest, to the mother with the most children at church, etc. Guess who always got the corsage for the most children? Yes, mom. We were so excited for her, every year. To us kids, it was almost as if she were famous for a few minutes. Our unassuming, shy mother was the celebrity of the moment, on stage, being pinned by our pastor. We were so proud of her.

I felt some jealousy this afternoon. We were at Lowe's garden center when I noticed so many women with their mothers looking at flowers and discussing what to plant. My heart ached a little.......I would love to have just a little more time....to go pick some rose buds....to pick a red one instead of a white one. I would kiss her powdery cheek.