Survey says! Nine out of ten Moms’ prefer a phone call on Mother’s Day. Prefer a phone call as opposed to what? Prefer a phone call over a personal visit? “Hey Mom just called to let you know that I’m going to be coming home for Mother’s Day.” “Oh, well that would be nice dear but a phone call is more than enough. I mean with the shape of the economy and the sequester and all maybe it would be more fiscally responsible for you to just call.” “Uh…you don’t want me to come see you for Mother’s Day?” “No that’s not what I’m saying at all dear. I just don’t want to be a bother and you were just here 29 months ago for a lovely visit and I just got this new phone and you sound so nice so far away.”

Not wanting to disappoint my Mom I got her exactly what nine out of ten Moms’ prefer and added one more call to the bustling Mother’s Day phone lines. The telephone call volume on Mother’s Day is higher than any other day of the year. All those Mother’s Day wishes zooming around the planet just imagine the variety of conversations going on between Mom’s and their children.

Once the salutatory, “Happy Mother’s Day” is out of the way it would be interesting to hear how many different directions the conversations splinter into. The weather, current events, bunions, spear hunting, bingo, incontinence, bikini wax…the topics are limitless I’m sure.

What you talked about isn’t all that important. It’s the simple act of communicating with someone near and dear to you that is important. Taking the time to fill each other in on the goings on in your everyday lives. Everyday lives that were closely entwined under one roof for at least the first 18 years of your life.

Generally during that time frame we’re busy growing up and Mom is busy working, washing, cooking, and cleaning so the majority of conversation’s are you being talked at by an overwhelmed and underappreciated Mom.

When I complain to my Mom about something the kids have done to irritate me she just smiles and gives me that, “serves you right moron” look. I would describe my childhood as idyllic and my Mom as a sort of entertainment director and ringmaster of the entire four ring circus. She is a humorous, witty, creative, patient person that somehow managed to fight off the urge to smother me and my brother’s with a pillow in our sleep. My sister would have cheered her on.

We were grade “A” knuckle heads…okay…are grade “A” knuckle heads that won the Mom lottery. Despite our never ending dimwittedness and blatant disregard for sensible normal behavior our Mom rarely lost her temper with us. When someone rarely loses their temper it’s always startling when they do.

I can still see my Mom’s angry face inches from mine speaking through tightly clenched teeth in an attempt to keep everyone in the Ben Franklin Store in Stanley from hearing her curse at the boy that has just rammed the grocery cart into the back of her heals for the 17th time.

Happy Mother’s Day Mom. I love you and am thankful to have you in my life each and every day. You done good. Thanks for taking my call Sunday.