My mother Louise had this letter (and photo) in her cedar chest (which seems to be bottomless). My sister Linda Louise gave it to me the other day … a few weeks before Mother’s Day 2020:
“14 May 1967
Dear Mother,
Today is Mother’s Day and I am sorry I’ve not done more Mother to make you proud that you are a mother. You’ve seen me do a lot of crazy things, but you’ve always sort of let them ride and seemed to still accept me for your son. Maybe someday I’ll be a parent and will be able to share some of those hurts and burdens I put on your heart.
…
I guess it’ll be some time before I understand what it is to be a parent, but until then I hope you do realize I do appreciate all the great things y’all have done for me. …
I really doubt if you’ll ever get repaid for the [wonderfully beautiful, peaceful and humble] life you’ve lived … on this earth anyway.
Thank you, Mother.
Love,
Paul Bain”
When I wrote this letter, I would have been up at Texas A&M in my first summer of working for a USDA Cotton Insects Research laboratory and being introduced to ecological management … but also doing many of the crazy things some Aggies do like spending too much time at the Lakeview Club and drinking too much ethanol.
(Above in the photo are: Mother (whose birthday this year is on Mother’s Day), my brother Lawrence whose birthday is on Earth Day (or rather, Earth Day is on Lawrence’s birthday), and me. [* https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/sanantonio/obituary.aspx?n=lawrence-martin&pid=139164488&fhid=8918 ]
The whole original letter to Mom for Mother’s Day in 1967 is immediately below.)
Thanks Jerry!
Very well said. Aunt Louise is most definitely a SAINT!!!