I remember Mother’s Day Sundays growing up. Our tradition was a bit different. We children would wear a rose for Mother’s Day in honor of our mother. My brother and I would find a pretty, deep-pink rose bud on the backyard bush. Mama would pin it on with a straight pin. Or maybe a safety pin if we were so lucky to find one that morning.
“When I was a kid, if a mother came to church without a corsage from her children, the whole family went on everybody’s prayer list.” – ‘Our Sunday Best’ by Valerie Fraser Luesse, April 2010 Southern Living
A Rose for Mother’s Day
Off we’d go to church, wearing a rose in honor of Mama. Inevitably, there was always an uncomfortable poke from the straight pin during the sermon. But isn’t that just like a mama? She would always give us a quick poke if we needed to straighten up. Either that or a sharp look. You know the one. Now that I’m a mama, I use it too.
My dear husband plants flowers for me each Mother’s Day. A tradition he started when I was a brand-new mother. My first Mother’s Day he planted a beautiful hydrangea. It flourished and by the next Mother’s Day was just as tall as our toddling girl.
Last Mother’s Day, my husband gave me two rose bushes. I’d been wanting some knock out roses. Every local shop touts their heartiness. Don’t do anything to them and they’ll grow.
And they have. Just two tiny pots last year. Plentiful rain has helped them quadruple in size in just a year. But isn’t that just like mama? A child just blossoms under the showers of her love. Mama’s love blesses anything and helps it grow quadruple.
This year we’ll begin again that Mother’s Day habit. From that bush in our yard I’ll pin a rose bud on each child. Each will wear a rose in honor of their mama.
“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you. Exodus 20:11-13
The habit of planting, growing and honoring.
Happy Mother’s Day
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-originally published May 2010
This is just beautiful!!! Thank you for sharing this!!
Beautiful pictures, beautiful word pictures, like Angie said – just beautiful!
And Happy Mother’s Day to you!
Love this! What a special Mother’s Day tradition!
We too had that same tradition and I remember those wearing white roses meant their mother was in Heaven. My dad would often buy my mom a corsage and the rest of us would just wear the roses off of the rose bush. Have not seen this in years.
Let’s bring it back Angie! The article I quoted talked about the white roses and the pink/red roses worn in honor of mothers. I remember the same traditions from my childhood too. So sweet.