MEMORIES OF MOTHER

Memories come to mind of my Mother born into the predominantly agrarian nineteenth century and her transition from living in a farming community into the twentieth century industrial world.  I first shared some of these thoughts on Mother’s Day in 2009.

These days when so many experience difficulties encountered as a consequence of a nation and world with such wealth inequity, coupled with government upheavals – nations moving away from democracy -- are unlike any in my lifetime. I often wonder what my mother would have to say on the subjects.

Mother become a young married woman during the twenty’s heydays preceding the Great Depression. I recall her descriptions of a none too easy early married life though that evolved into a more prosperous existence in their later married years as occurs with many couples.  

She said the hardships during the depression’s financial downturn did not directly adversely affect our family.  The challenging years occurred before I was born later in her life.   Our immunity to severe hardship was primarily because my father’s work was associated with the newspaper business. Newspapers were the primary source of news, so they were in much demand by almost everyone regardless of their financial situation. In fact, two of the most prominent state newspapers were vying for his distribution services.

Radio was just beginning with unprecedented broadcasting power thanks to Powell Crosley and the ultimate “Nation’s Station” WLW in Cincinnati, Ohio.  “Constructed to sell the radios his factory produced, WLW became the most powerful AM broadcast station ever licensed for use in the U.S.”  Years later they were prominent in television broadcasting including presenting talk shows before networks adopted them.  This was the several state broadcasting group that had been sold to another corporation with which I was ultimately associated.

Those early years in my life I recall we enjoyed some radio programs selectively chosen by my mother – lots of music, some drama, comedies and news.   There was no TV yet during my mother’s young midlife years, much less computers and the Internet of today. Newspapers were a primary source listing employment opportunity for those seeking work. People placed ads to sell belongings so they could raise some desperately needed cash while others with limited cash sought bargain prices as they needed these items but had little money themselves. Everyone wanted to subscribe or at least access a newspaper. This is hardly the situation that exists today in the newspaper business. 

In fact, more and more local newspapers are ceasing publication leaving serious questions about the implications for democracy.  These community publications serve as monitors of local governments, investigating as needed, distributing news to a local populace likely not disseminated otherwise.  Even any local radio stations once a news source generally no longer are.   News staffs for ordinary local news in the multitude of this nation’s small communities are typically non-existent.  Think about available sources of local news in your own community.  

During the Depression my mother continued to be active in her women’s church group. They devoted themselves to helping others in need, an activity in which she engaged for many of those years and throughout her lifetime when she was able.  In those years  after the Depression when Mother unexpectedly was on her own with our young family there was a holiday in which we became the needy recipients of aid as she had provided others. 

A few years after I was born our fortunes had changed and my mother had become a single parent in a time when a woman raising a family alone found life could be very difficult. My immediate family had never lived extravagantly, but as I entered my early childhood years, I was absorbing from observing my mother the lessons of needing to be even more practical and frugal.  I was also learning everyone, including women, needed to be able to provide for themselves and even others for whom they might have to assume complete responsibility – that this could occur quite unexpectedly.

Mother was a remarkable woman who in her later years in the face of other adversity, when she became legally blind and limited in visual activities, created unique multi-colored hooked rugs that became unexpectedly desired by others who even wanted to  purchase them. Her vision prevented her from quilting, sewing or making other fabric or fiber items she had once enjoyed creating.  She had simply wanted something to occupy her, keeping her awake while she listened to what was then called “Talking Books”, long before audio books were available today. 

My mother had an amazingly optimistic and positive attitude toward life. She made multiple transitions and adaptations to her varying circumstances. I marvel at how well she coped as she lived happily independently most of her remaining almost 90 years. My brother and I were able to assist her being able to do so though not to the extent we might have wished.  I miss her and wish I could have her company in my aging years.  We would probably have our moments of irritation with each other for one reason or another.  There would also be lots of laughs.  We would be good housemates together and have so much to talk about.