Last night, I was making dinner after a long day at work
editing a 469-page report due in two business days. After dinner, I made four
dozen Toll House® cookies for a coworker’s birthday. In the meantime, I washed
dishes, folded clothes, and prepared for work the next day. When I finally got
to bed at 11:15 p.m., I fell asleep immediately.
This morning, on the eve of the 19th anniversary
of my mother’s passing, I awoke with an epiphany: Claudia “Deena” Buford
Robinson was a superhero. If I could, I’d call her “Wonder Woman” because I
wonder how she did it all.
During her entire adult life, Mom raised seven children – five
daughters and two sons – and an occasionally obtuse husband. (Still love you,
Dad!) She worked for the California Department of Motor Vehicles headquarters
in Sacramento, rising through the ranks from clerk to supervisor before
retiring. In addition to taking care of the house (and rounding up the “herd of
cats” to help), she handled the household finances, took us children shopping
for clothes, and attended school events in the evening after she had worked the
entire day.
Furthermore, she still had time to listen to our problems,
play with us, and sing and dance with us.
However, she did not tolerate disobedience or talking back from
us. The James Brown song “Papa Don’t Take No Mess” easily applied to Mama. She
admonished us not to do anything that would land us in jail because she would
not visit. Because of my parents’ steadfast goal of raising good citizens, the
four older siblings are retired from government and university positions, and
the three younger ones, including this writer, are working toward that gold
watch.
My mother endured tough times, but she also persevered, with
grace and humor. Frankly, when I was a teen, I thought sometimes I didn’t want
to be like her because I wanted more out of life than what she had. I realize
now that there’s no way I could step into her size 7 pumps and do what she did
without losing my mind or energy.
So, here’s to you, Mom – a true superhero. I know in my
heart that Heaven made room for you.
Writing Diva
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