To the editor:
Three years ago, a gentleman came into my shop and made several comments I will never forget. He came into the shop for a card for a friend who was not a mother. He pointed out, and rightly so, that many women are not mothers but, nonetheless, are involved in the lives of various children. Many may have nieces or nephews, foster children, step-children or even neighborhood children who always find their way to “her” doorstep. They may be teacher or a child advocate, a Girl Scout leader or a swim coach. They may volunteer their time at a local library. Some tutor, some mentor; some are simply there.
Mother’s Day is May 14 and I find the thoughts of that gentleman still in my head. There is always a holiday or an excuse to send a card… but, if you know someone who doesn’t rate a Mother’s Day card simply because she isn’t a mom, give her a hug and thank her for the difference she is making in a child’s life. Find an appropriate blank card and scribble your thoughts or appreciation inside.
I love the saying that pops up in my trade catalogs now and then: “In a hundred years, it won’t matter what kind of a car you drove or house you lived in. What will matter is the difference you made in the life of a child.”
Betsy Gilcreast
Paper & Roses
Peterborough