When my sisters and I were growing up, our mother would often share sayings about life as she worked hard to change us from the hooligans we were into polite and productive daughters.

Looking back, I know there were times when we were a handful for her but she never stopped trying, armed with the wisdom she received from her mother in a small English village. And so over the years these words took hold and I would find myself hearing them in my mind and sometimes slipping into my own conversations.

I realized that my Mom’s words were one more wonderful thing she gave to our family. This Mother’s Day seems to be a good time to share some of the guidance she gave us:

“Put on a hat (or jacket or whatever.) You’ll catch your death of cold.” Translation: dress appropriately for the weather.

“Respect your elders.” Now that I am one, I couldn’t agree more!

“Neither a borrower nor a lender be.” Well, I realize that this actually came from Shakespeare, but since Mom said it, I’ll quote it. It’s really great advice no matter who said it first.

“Blood is thicker than water.” Friends may not stick by you forever, but your family is always your family. 

“Children should be seen but not heard.”  Amen.  I think about this one when there’s a screaming child at the table next to ours in a restaurant.

Usually Mom’s words were intended to help her children through life. But there were times they made life challenging at our house:

“Don’t go near that bathroom. I just cleaned it.” What was the alternative?

“Don’t make me come up there.” This, shouted upstairs to us when we were behaving badly.

Mom’s words had a way of putting our life and the world in its proper order. “No TV before homework” and “No dessert before you finish your dinner.”  And of reminding us of our limits: “When the wine is in, the wit is out.”

My mother lived and worked through a great war, raised three daughters and numerous dogs, loved and stayed with one man until he died and then lived bravely on her own until my sister moved in to help her in her last years.  She and our father taught us about love, responsibility, friendship and facing life’s challenges.

The example of her life is a wonderful memory.  She is missed and I’m glad we still have her words.