“My son has started calling me “mom” instead of “momma” or “mommy” and no one has prepared me for how devastating this is.” – @kelly_le (Twitter)
I saw this quote the other day and I found it to be so relatable. It is one of those first steps of independence your children take to move away from you, and you know that it has to happen but it still hurts. It’s proof that you are doing your job right, but it definitely causes a mother’s heart to pang a little bit. I remember being well into my early adulthood and my father would still tell us to, “Go ask Mommy,” even though we hadn’t called her “Mommy” for many, many years.
And staying with my sappy, sentimental side (What can I say? It’s Mother’s Day weekend), I read this idea the other day, that honestly, I never had heard before. The thought is that people die twice in their lives. The first time is their bodily death, and the second time is when the person’s name is no longer spoken. I honestly that think this is a beautiful idea. My grandfather used to hold our hands and squeeze them and say “Onka Dunka”. He told us it meant, “I love you.” I squeezed my children’s hands and said “Onka Dunka” to them all of the time. I hope that they will pass the tradition on. It keeps my grandfather alive.
“Every man has two deaths, when he is buried in the ground and the last time someone says his name. In some ways men can be immortal.” – Ernest Hemingway
Are you passing on love or are you passing on pain? Heal your pain and pass on love.
Hi Kelly. Here’s my two cents: my 31-yo daughter calls me Goose and has for decades. My 29-yo son still calls me momma. And on the two times a person dies…I came across an Egyptian saying that I absolutely love: To speak the name of the dead is to make them live again.
Happy Mother’s Day!
Gail,
I love that Egyptian saying, to speak the name of the dead is to make them live again……love
Thank you.
Me too!
Happy Mother’s Day, Gail! <3
Well, your blog definitely pulled at my heart strings.
I think I read the first paragraph 5 times, because it brought back lovely, warm, loving memories and because I miss hearing ‘mommy’ and because I remember way back when, how much I loved to hear my little sons cry out to me in a name NO ONE else would ever call me, ‘mommy’. Those two little boys who are the only 2 people on the face of this entire planet that will ever call me by that name. Yeah, it pulled at my heart strings and it is Mother’s Day! And I am blessed & grateful because I know this love!!!
Happy Mother’s Day, Joan!! <3