In case you didn’t know, yesterday was Mother’s Day. My facebook and twitter feeds had picture after picture of mothers and their children. I didn’t post anything on facebook and I know other friends didn’t post anything either. While it was fun seeing all the pictures and wonderful sentiments, it didn’t ease the pain of having a mother who is no longer here. I suspect it is equally hard for those who wished they could be/have been mothers, but haven’t had the opportunity.
On Saturday, I was up at o’dark thirty and hit the road before the sun came up for an eight-hour drive home. When I arrived at about 1:30 p.m., I walked the dogs who were mighty glad to see me. Then I made my way over to the SIU Arena where the Rotary Club of Carbondale-Breakfast was participating in a yard sale put on by the Civil Service Employees Council. It was rained out from the previous weekend. Our club does a similar sale in the fall and I thought it would be good for the club to participate as a vendor in this sale so the members could get a good feel for what the vendors in our sale encounter. I helped tear down the space and get the left-overs into storage for our sale in the fall. Came home and took the dogs for another walk. Then we went to church. Our church has a tradition of giving away a cake at all the Masses for Mother’s and Father’s Day. On our way in, I saw the basket for names and put in the name of Dan Becque, not giving it another thought until it was time to draw the names for the cake for, egads, Mother’s Day. I turned to Dan and whispered that I thought it was for Father’s Day and I put his name in the basket. He laughed and said “What are the chances that the altar server will pick my name out of the basket?” Well, apparently, the chances were pretty good, because the words out of Father Bob’s mouth as he read the name was, “Well this says Dan Becque, but we know it must be Fran Becque.” On the way back to my seat, after picking up the cake and explaining the confusion of me thinking it was for Father’s Day, a friend a few rows ahead of us said, “Fran, you need a vacation.” And indeed I do!
I also suspect that yesterday was a red-letter day for sorority and fraternity house mothers/moms/directors, if this post by the University of Kansas Sigma Nu chapter is any indication. Over the years, I have met many wonderful women who have served in that capacity. In that role, these women can be a positive influence on the men and women who walk through the chapter house doors. At the Pi Phi house at Syracuse University, we had graduate students who served as House Directors, but the cook, “Mrs. A.” was the advice giver and sage of life experience. She would also admonish us if necessary. I still hear her voice in my head every now and then and I can’t help but think about the loving way she treated us all.
KU Sigma Nu We love our house moms! #HappyMothersDay to Mom Sally and Mom Molly!
