My Mother, My Friend

Rivers and lakes often look like an invitation to fun, especially to children who are oblivious to the hidden dangers.

When I was a very little girl, around 5 years old, I was too young to join my older siblings when my dad took them water skiing, so my mom stayed with me on the little beach area of the river. It was the perfect wading area for mother and child.

For an adventurous child, like myself, the small island mid-river was just too much of a temptation for me to ignore. So, while my mother was setting up our picnic on the beach, I took off to explore alone. I didn't get very far across the river before I was caught in the undertow and pulled under the surface. I don't remember fighting the water. I simply remember a feeling of peace, but I was definitely drowning.

I have no idea how my mother moved as quickly as she did, but I was lifted out of the water and rushed to the safety of the shoreline. Heedless of any danger for her own self, she raced into the water, once again being the sole human responsible for giving me life.

Now this might not sound like such a remarkable feat to most, but my mother can't swim.

When I was 15, I wanted to drive! While on vacation in the Ozarks, I begged my mother to let me drive the car. She asked, "have you ever driven before?" A reasonable question since I had 3 older siblings who all had cars. I said, "Why, yes! Dad lets me drive all of the time." Completely trusting me, she handed me the keys and moved to the passenger side, relaxed and ready to go for a ride.

We started down the mountain at a nice, slow rate of speed and I was easily controlling the car. As the car accelerated of it's own volition, we were approaching a curve. Mom calmly suggested that I apply the brakes. I simply said "what brakes?"

Again, moving faster than lightning, she was next to me in a flash and had her foot on the brake pedal.

After the car came to a complete halt, mere feet from the edge of the mountain, mom just looked at me and said, "I thought you said your dad lets you drive all of the time."

My answer, "he does. I've been driving the boat for years!"

I spent the rest of that vacation driving circles around the dirt roads of the local cemetery. Wonder if there was a lesson in her choice of driving range :)

Mom has always been a willing partner in whatever adventure I dreamed up for us.

Over the years, I have managed to get her to go sail-boating with me, ride in a go cart as my passenger and even fly overseas in an airplane.

When my children were little, she accompanied me on beanie baby treasure hunts. Yes, we were the ones who showed up at the store with our lawn chairs at 4:00 am to wait for the store to open. We drank coffee and laughed at ourselves and our own ridiculous desperation. But, this "middle of the night" adventure ensured that each of my children got one of the "rare" animals. To their credit, my children still have those "retired" beanie babies.

Moderated by Sylvestermouse
Updated: 3/3/12