Momma Ruth and Me Circa 1984.
What’s the best advice your mom ever gave you? That’s kind of hard to say. My mother Ruth has never been a woman to mince her words. Phrases like “I don’t chew my cabbage twice,” and “I’ll give you something to cry about,” were common in our household. She has always meant business, was never one to put an “I love you” note in my lunch box and never once drove back to school to hand me homework I forgot in my room. So when DFW.com asked me to submit my favorite piece of mom advice I really had to think. I told DFW.com about one piece of advice that really stuck, “When I was dating my now husband, I had a hard time with our religious and cultural differences. He’s an Arab Muslim. I’m an American Christian. So I called my mother for advice — something I never normally do. This was her opportunity to read me the Southern Baptist riot act. She said, very simply, “Joanna, God puts people in our lives for a reason.” To this day, she has treated my husband with respect and kindness, and I love her for that.” But at the time I was floored. Who is this person? This same woman once emailed me a birthday greeting in college that read, “Happy Birthday. Pay your car insurance. Love Mom and Dad.” My mom also had other nuggets of wisdow I still remember.
Raised by a Dutch grandmother in a strong Catholic farming community, my mother is a stickler for propriety. I still don’t wear white shoes after Labor Day because of her. I always want a new Easter dress and never climb monkey bars without shorts because boys will try to look up my skirt. Before mandatory church most Sundays, I had to find length appropriate dresses, white fluffy socks and “always wear a slip.” Even now it still feels weird in the slip section of the store with women my mother’s age pawing through racks looking for a beige or black under garment. But when I wear knee length and calf length dresses out, that silk lining between me and the rest of the world is a reminder that I’m a lady. And ladies wear slips. Thanks mom! Happy Mother’s Day and I promise I won’t forget to call this year!
