My Mother’s Practical Help and Inspiration

In fifth grade, I struggled mightily with math: long division, in particular. I still remember the day I came home from school in tears. Mom calmed me, made me a snack, then patiently explained the concepts until I could solve the problems on my own. I am forever grateful for her help. 

Besides the ability to explain essential math to her 11-year-old son, my mother was an inspiring example in many areas. She loved music, from Big Band to Classical. Another strong interest was reading, especially newspapers. Mom frequently clipped articles for future reference. And I still remember the day when, rushing to get ready for company, she put a bunch of clippings into the clothes dryer!

International travel

Mom was also a traveler and art lover. She accompanied my botanist father at many international scientific conferences, where he presented his findings on the aging of plant cells. Leningrad, Montreal, and London were a few of their destinations; and whenever my mother had a spare couple of hours, she visited art museums and galleries. 

My mother’s passion and enthusiasm for a variety of subjects spilled over to me. Today, my interest in many activities stems from what I learned from her. This includes photography, speaking and writing, and a general love of words.

Conversation skills

Another characteristic of mom’s was that she loved to talk. I do, too. Years ago, when living in another part of the country, I was dating a woman with whom I had grown quite close. During a regular phone call home, my mother wanted to speak with the person who had captured my heart.

As I was about to pass the phone over, my rather shy girlfriend whispered,

“What should I say?”

With a big smile on my face I replied,

“Just say hello.” Which my then-girlfriend did — and my loquacious mom took care of the rest.