Published Thursday, January 24, 2008 2:49 PM
Updated Thursday, January 24, 2008 2:50 PM

 

Inklings

Maternity, both budding and ripe


I got two books on motherhood from two of my kids this Christmas. "just MOMS" compiled by Bonnie Louise Kuchler for Willow Creek Press, came from Cathy and her husband Todd and "Grandmas Gone Wild" from Courage Books, an imprint of Running Press, was the entry from David, his wife Amy and their kids Riley and Grace.

Both are picture books with appropriate quotes. Any mom or grandma can identify with these images.

Since there are so many of us out there, let me share my top picks. First, from "just MOMS" which is illustrated with endearing photos of animal moms and their progeny:

_The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new - Bhagwan Shree (Osho) Rajneesh, Indian author.

_People who say they sleep like a baby usually don't have one - Leo J. Burke.

_Baby: A loud noise at one end and no sense of responsibility at the other - Ronald Arbuthnott Knox, English author and priest.

_When my kids become wild and unruly, I use a nice, safe playpen. When they're finished, I climb out - Erma Bombeck, American author and humorist.

_There is no such thing as a non-working mother (who doesn't agree with this one!)  - Hester Mundis, American author.

_There is only one beautiful child in the world and every mother has it - Chinese proverb, and finally, my favorite and one I've always tried to follow,

_There are only two lasting bequests we can hope to give our children. One is roots; the other; wings - Hodding Carter, Jr., American journalist and author.

And now on to the book on "wild" grandmas, in which photos depict some really great older (read: "seasoned") gals, complete with Jackie O specs, flowered hats, slippered feet and lots of eye makeup.

_Beauty is accepting what you are, who you are, and how old you are. Ugliness is when you try to be something else - Sophia Loren, Italian actress (who, by the way, is 73).

_I look forward to growing old and wise and audacious - Glenda Jackson, English actress (who celebrated age 70 this year).

_If you don't have wrinkles, you haven't laughed enough - Phyllis Diller, comedian.

_Time and trouble will tame an advanced young woman, but an advanced old woman is uncontrollable by any earthly force - Dorothy Sayers, English writer.

_Grandma always made you feel she had been waiting to see just you all day and now the day was complete (how true!) - Mary DeMaree, 20th century American writer.

_Things are new even at the age when we are supposed to have seen everything (I really like this one too), and last - my husband's all time favorite,

_Grandchildren don't make a man feel old; it's the knowledge that he's married to a grandmother - G. Norman Collie, British scientist.

Both these books made me smile, tear up just a bit, and feel warm and loved. What more could you ask of any gift? Thanks kids.