The Power of Influence

A couple of nights ago, the boy comes bounding downstairs after his shower.  He’s always had extremely dry skin on his upper arms and legs, and as I hug him goodnight I feel those familiar bumps on his biceps.

“Dude, your Mimi told me to tell you to put some lotion on your arms.”  Stunned, he looks at me curiously.  “What?” 

“Your Mimi…she just told me to tell you that you need lotion on your arms.”

“Ohm Mom, Mimi is dead.  She doesn’t talk anymore.” 

“That’s what you think!” I say.  I explain to him that since his grandmother’s death 2 ½ months ago, I “hear” her everyday…and I sometimes even feel her.  I tell him that Mothers have the greatest influence in our lives and as we grow up, we don’t even realize it, but they never really leave us. 

I proceed to tell him that no matter where he goes, or how old he gets, he will always “hear” me.  I’ll be telling him “that he’s the only one that can make himself happy or sad” and that “every meal should have at least one vegetable and potatoes don’t count” and that he needs to “wear socks with those shoes” and a million other random thoughts, directions and beliefs.  It is my power.  It is my right and my obligation, for I am his MOTHER.

Now, as I go through my days and encounter situations, I have a little voice in the back of my head.  The same voice that bugged me for many years, the same voice that I tried to ignore…the voice that imparted wisdom that I didn’t realize I was getting.  And, I realize that I’ll hear that voice from here on out.

And my boy has now accepted Mimi’s voice as a constant in our lives.  He has accepted, he believes and he now quotes her too.  ;-)  So when I tell him that “Mimi says your arms are too dry”, he just smiles sweetly and goes to hunt down some lotion.

This morning when my mom’s little sister made this FB post..”No electricity need to dry clothes to wear to school.” 

Immediately “she” was there…in my head….with that voice…and so I had to channel her again…

“Your sister told me to tell you that you should have gotten your clothes together last night. ;-)”

I mean, that IS what she would say…if she were here.  And, in many ways, she still is.