My Mother Has No Wrinkles
Her hair, no hint of gray
No pounds of time on her behind
For her to wish away.
Her arms aren’t soft or flabby
Her spine is never bent
No failing ears so she can’t hear
Her granddaughter’s laments.
My mother never argues
No critiquing of my ways
No sacrifice or sage advice
To mimic in my days.
To celebrate her presence
And give honor she is due
Would take much more than coins or store
Could offer, old or new.
I could bring her flowers
But they’d wither in the heat
For she lies alone beneath a stone
Where earth and body meet.
I’m ever in her shadow
Her face is in my mirror
With every thought and each age spot
My blessings become clearer.
The stripes around my middle
That motherhood did leave
Are cause to praise the giver of days
And the pattern He did weave.
Every single heartbeat
Each new candle on a cake
Show I have breath and life, not death
And stories yet to make.
I’m older than my mother now
The wrinkles are all mine
But I’ll not cry or even sigh
Or curse the gifts of time.
I’ll not bemoan my aging
I won’t wish it away
For she died young, her songs unsung
But I still have today.
Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there, old or young, who still. have. today! You are blessed, indeed!
And thank you, God, for every undeserved minute.
You have a gift Em. Very touching ❤️. Love you!
Thank you friend!
Beautiful Emily. Happy mother’s day to you! I loved your cheesy poem ?
Thanks!! Miss you bunches!
What a wonderful poem in honor of your sweet Mom! She was a beautiful woman! Blessings to you on Mother’s Day!
Absolutely beautiful!
Not cheesy at all! Very well said! Thank you Emily, for sharing your gift with us!
Thanks, Beverly. 🙂
Thank you, Emily, for reminding us of the “gift” of aging. Being a mother is a blessing like no other. Your poem helped me to remember that each day we get to enjoy our children (and grandchildren) is another day of aging. I’m embracing my wrinkles, flabby arms and extra pounds today!
Yes, every challenge we experience can either be seen as an obstacle or an opportunity. I don’t always remember this myself. Thank God for His grace with us!
My Mom went to heaven when I was 35. Still miss her. Almost 40 years ago.
Yes, you’re never too old to miss your mommy!
Oh my, Emily! I LOVE THIS! What an eternally wise message! This needs to go viral. I know you help so many with what you have experienced. Xoxo
You are too sweet, friend! I’m so glad your sweet mama got to live long enough to enjoy so much of your life! Love you!
Yes. I too am embracing this stage of my life. Having lost a grandmother who, basically, raised me then my mom, then my only 1st aunt & then my mom in-love, (four very important women in my life), has shown me much in & about the diversity of women. And though we’re each pakaged differently & of different character & personalities there are still pearls of wisdom to be had. Some have the pearls that are good, gracious & needed while others still have pearls but they’re ones that teach us “what not to do”. I’m very thankful for the pearls I’ve received & my prayers are that I will leave all “good” ones behind for all my girls. Happy Mother’s Day to them & to you,
sweet Emily, & “Thank you” for your pearls.. (*!*)
Thank you, Debbie
Very special, dearest Emily…. memories help us in each new day which God gives us. Thanks for sharing in a lovely way.
Bless you, Peggy, especially as you experience your first Mother’s Day without your sweet mom. ❤️
Thank you for that enlightening perspective Emily, especially about the stripes around my middle. I’d much rather have used that middle to carry my five babies than anything else, stripes and all! What a blessing to receive your encouraging words. My babies are all grown now but they still need their mother, as do their babies. I am so grateful to be here for them. The relationship with my own mother was disrupted by her mental illness so I am thankful to God for His salvation and the opportunity He has given me to mother my own sweet offspring with the generous love He has given to me.
I hope my babies never stop needing me too! Your kids and grandkids are so blessed to have you in their lives!
The poem was a beautiful read. You hit all who have moms in heaven and they are always happy to be in the arms of Jesus. My natural mother died when I was 10. I thought I would not make it, but with Jesus in my heart things didn’t overcome me as much. Today I have 2 beautiful daughters and I have 2 more that I claim. The best will be the last..I will get to mail a card to a new mother which makes me a great grammy! Love you Emily and your family.. Thanks so much for the encouragement.
Thank you Sue. I was ten as well. I remember thinking that I would literally cry for the rest of my life. Imagine my surprise when laughter slipped from my lips. God is good! He knows how to carry us through.
This is so incredible. No words can describe how much joy I felt upon having read it. My mother died when I was 3. Im 61 now and never would have imagined thinking how glad I am to be old and fat and everything else that goes with being old, because my own mother did not get to be old and fat and everything else. Thank you for this. So much perspective.
Thank you. Some may not think that growing old is glamorous, but I will always disagree. Blessings to you!
Emily I thought this was beautiful and such a sweet tribute…nothing cheesy to me, I loved it.