Mom Sweet Mom

They say that men become more and more like their fathers and women more and more like their mothers as they grow older. I know some people who resist this truth with every fiber of their being, but I'd have to say there are far worse things that could happen to me.

If the saying is true, here are a few of the things I can expect in the coming years:

1) I will develop a love of the color red. My mother has always had a penchant for all things red, as evidenced by the many items of that color in her wardrobe (including shoes, coats, and handbags) as well as the shiny VW Passat she drives. Signs of this tendency are already arising in my own life -- my new laptop, for one, which is a vibrant shade of garnet red, as opposed to the usual black, white, or titanium hues of most laptops.

2) I will become an uber-volunteer and supporter of the arts. My mother remains an active docent at both the Wexner Center and the Columbus Museum of Art, and has also been a volunteer for the symphony and opera at various times over the past several decades. It does not require a great stretch of the imagination to see where this one fits into my life either. An amateur violinist and avid music fan, I play with community groups and support the local symphony orchestra (even if only by being a subscriber at the moment), and I learned great appreciation for the visual arts at my mother's side as we visited the museums and galleries of every city and town we ever went to on a family vacation.

3) I will become ever more strong-headed in my opinions and desires (some may choose to call it stubborn, others outspoken, and still others flat out bossy; I prefer to call it discriminating and independent). Mom knows what she thinks and does not hesitate to share those thoughts with those who are closest to her. She is not one to sugarcoat the truth, which can occasionally result in some hurt feelings, but she generally means well and just wants the best for all involved. I've had an independent streak since my childhood -- my brother and sister love to tell stories about how I would boss them around, parroting my mother's instructions, and my aunt loves to tell stories about how I would insist that I could do everything myself, even at an early age. Guess that's never gonna change...

4) I will be able to make a mean streusel pie, potato salad, and rouladin, not to mention meatballs of both the Italian and Swedish varieties. My mother kept us well fed with home cooked meals; nights out were special occasions in our house and ordering takeout was virtually unheard of. After years of practice, I have mastered the streusel and the meatballs, but I am still working on getting the flavoring of the potato salad just right, and have not yet dared to try rouladin on my own. Oh, and I'll also be able to make delicious gravies to accompany any meal -- with no lumps!

5) I will have friends in just about every corner of the world, or at least in a great variety of places where my husband/family and I will be able to go and visit in our travels. Mom and Dad have stayed with friends and relatives all over Germany, as well as Grenada, Mallorca, and Montreal, just to name a few. Not sure how this one will happen with me, as I've lost touch with the friends I made during my junior year abroad in England, though I do have good friends all over the U.S. Perhaps I'll make future contacts through my writing...

6) I will take great pride in the traditions of my upbringing...including real candles on the Christmas tree (much to my husband's dismay). I am only now beginning to appreciate the way my mother's German culture seeped into many aspects of our upbringing even though we grew up in suburban Ohio, the "heart of it all" as they claim. A slice of average American life. And yet, we grew up with an appreciation of other cultures that sticks with us today. My husband also comes from German roots, so perhaps we will be able to pass on similar values and traditions to our own children.

I only hope that I will inherit half of my mother's passion and zest for life. In her seventies (sorry, mom, if you didn't want that published), she is still going strong, touring at the museum, travelling widely, visiting her grandchildren often, and squeezing as much joy as she can out of her day-to-day experiences.

Yes, mom, if I become more and more like you as I grow up, I think I'll turn out just fine!