This weekend we celebrate Mother’s Day and I would like to take this opportunity to honor my late mother, Ruby Cunningham, who provided so much wisdom, knowledge, and love during the time she was with us.
Her name described her well—the ruby is a lustrous, deep red stone that has acquired special and symbolic meaning throughout the ages. Like the stone, when I think of my mother she represented nobility, love and purity. From ancient times through the modern-day, rubies have been valued by cultures around the world.
RUBY, my mother, was the consummate wife and mother. She sacrificed her dreams and career opportunities to raise her children well and support her spouse. My mother was an excellent home manager—she loved to cook and did it very well. We always had three meals each day and snacks. She loved dessert, so she would make a quick treat to go along with dinner. She made everything look so easy, but as a mother myself, I know the job was challenging. As I reminisce, it was amazing that she could get so much done with excellence.
In addition to cooking, the house was always clean, the clothes washed and ironed, and she even had a little rose garden. She raised four children with love and determination and knew how to keep it all together. My mother loved interior design—she would get a piece of fabric and upholster a chair or make curtains to complement the kitchen. She loved good quality furniture and wanted it placed just right.
During the 1960s women loved to have tea parties. My mother could pull together a lovely tea party for her church friends. As I am writing this post, the memories are so vivid–I feel like I’m back in the kitchen and dining room right now.
Holidays were the best, she celebrated them all so that we could have fond family memories. The kitchen was always filled with yummy smells from baked chicken, turkey, dressing, roast beef, carrots and potatoes, ham, green beans, collard greens, cornbread, pound cake, coconut cake, or sweet potato pies, and more. The table would be laid out with lace linens and fine china. I loved the look of the dining room and surroundings filled with decorations, family, friends, and laughter.
Along the way, my mother also shared so much wisdom about relationships, education, love, and life in general. As a young woman, I did not fully appreciate the wisdom nuggets she shared. But as I matured, I realized that she had provided some invaluable knowledge that I would use throughout my lifetime.
My mother had many lovely gifts that she shared with family and friends. She loved her family, but still made time for others. I would go with her to visit differently disabled and elderly neighbors—she would sit down and talk with them for hours. I could tell that they were grateful for the visit.
My mother poured so much love into me and my brothers—the kind of love only a mother can provide. Everything I am today is because of God’s love and the unconditional love of my dear mother. I know she is looking down from heaven cheering me on—I miss her every day!
