"There are no goodbyes, wherever you are, you will always be in my heart." —Mahatma Gandhi
Mother’s Day marks the seventh anniversary of my beloved mother’s passing, May 12, 2013 at the age of 88. Aside from the celebration of Mother’s Day itself, there are four things that remind me of my connection to her and to our Sicilian family heritage. My mother arrived in this country in 1947. I was her first born in 1950.
1-My first trip to Sicily was with my parents aboard the Saturnia Italian Liner in 1953 when I was three years old (photo of mom and me at the ship’s dining table).
2-The cactus garden I can see outside my home office window (Photo) is a constant reminder of where my mother grew up in what was then a small, fishing village in Roccalumera, Messina, Sicily, which has become a favored tourist destination (pre-pandemic). Its’ origins date back to the ancient Roman empire. This is where I first had my taste of the soft, colorful orange red cactus fruit. The cactus plant is a metaphor for the resiliency of the Sicilian people: tough on the outside but soft and loving on the inside.
3-The lemon trees that are also on the premises of the gated community where we live remind me of my mom. Nine out of ten lemons in Italy come from Sicily. My mother loved to eat lemons. She would peel and quarter them, add a sprinkle of salt and sometimes a splash of vinegar. I can still feel my mouth pucker up when I recall trying to eat them with her for the first time. “Mom, how can you eat this,” I would ask? She would smile that beautiful smile of hers and in her indearing accent say: "itsa good."
4-A natural polished heart-shaped stone I found on the stone pebbled beach I discovered in Roccalumera in June of 2006 (photo) also reminds me of my mother. I keep it on my desk and hold it in the palm of my hand from time to time.
Still loved, still missed, and though you are no longer with us, you left behind some beautiful memories, and will always be in our hearts and by our side.
For all sons and daughters who have lost their mother perhaps, the following poem by an unknown author will resonate with you as we celebrate this Mother’s Day.
“Your Mother is always with you.
She’s the whisper of the leaves as you walk down the street, she’s the smell of certain food you remember, flowers you pick, the fragrance of life itself.
She’s the cool hand on your brow when you’re not feeling well, she’s your breath in the air on a cold winter’s day.
She is the sound of the rain that lulls you to sleep,
The colors of a rainbow…
Your mother lives inside your laughter. She’s the place that you came from. Your first home, and she’s the map you follow with every step you take.
She’s your first love, your first friend, even your first enemy,
But nothing on earth can separate you. No time, not space…not even death.
Wishing all mothers or mother like figures or surrogates a very Happy Mother’s Day!
