July 22, 2016
Letters to My Mother....the journey continues
What took me so long? I do not have the answer. Thankfully, the "spark" hit me again and I know I must finish. I owe it to myself and I owe it to my mother who saved every letter.
My Mother, Ardelle Elizabeth Cosley Rellihan, was a remarkable woman. Not only was she a mother of three daughters, she was a successful business woman in an era of "housewives". Forced to work when she was widowed at the age of 39, she raised her girls by herself. Fiercely independent, we grew up in the shadow of a woman who did it all. She worked hard and her hard work paid off with several promotions. She taught us, through her example of hard work, how to be successful in our own right.
It wasn't all work and no play for Ardelle. Even though she was at her office six days a week, she always made time for family fun and vacations. We celebrated every special event: birthdays, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, Graduations, in grand style. She taught us the importance of entertaining with warm hospitality, a gift which she inherited from the Cosley family. Her attention to detail in her table settings, with candles and flowers are just one example.
Other examples of her influence on us were: a meal was never served without a table cloth or place mat. A celebration was never celebrated without a cake. A Sunday was never a Sunday without church. A Saturday was never a Saturday without her girls cleaning the house. A night never ended without kisses and hugs.
It wasn't all work and no play for Ardelle. Even though she was at her office six days a week, she always made time for family fun and vacations. We celebrated every special event: birthdays, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, Graduations, in grand style. She taught us the importance of entertaining with warm hospitality, a gift which she inherited from the Cosley family. Her attention to detail in her table settings, with candles and flowers are just one example.
Other examples of her influence on us were: a meal was never served without a table cloth or place mat. A celebration was never celebrated without a cake. A Sunday was never a Sunday without church. A Saturday was never a Saturday without her girls cleaning the house. A night never ended without kisses and hugs.
We were taught to have respect for ourselves and for others. Through her example and great personal style, we learned the importance of dressing well and looking our best. She would be proud. My two older sisters defy their ages of 80 and 80+. They are the epitome of aging gracefully, just as our mother did until the day of her passing at the age of 90...with hot pink nail polish on her toes.
So, let's take off again. Let's continue the journey. The road is long and takes us many places, and, as we know, "It's not about the destination....it's about the journey to get there".
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