Dear Mom

My mother Sonia with her twins, ages 3

I’m gasping for words on this day, the day I’m expected to be at my best to say something about the heart, from the heart, and to thank my mother on Mother’s Day. Thoughts abide… nothing but good thoughts, I assure you. Graceful thoughts of a grateful son.

It must be care and nurturing that I want to thank her for, guidance and ideas as well; for bidding me farewell at times and welcoming me home all the time, and for inspiring me to dream… Armenian dreams, in the colors and sounds of the world. I must not leave out her mentorship, scholarship and advice, or the caution and protection rendered. But the noblest of them all has to be love, endless and unconditional.

For someone who rarely misses out on words… I am short on them today. Emotions overwhelm me.
Allow me to instead have the poet of my people say it… as I would have wanted it said- mildly and gently.

A MOTHER’S HEART
By Avedik Issahakian

There is an old tale
About a boy
An only son
Who fell in love with a lass.

“You don’t love me,
You never did,” said she to him.
“But if you do, go then
And fetch me your mother’s heart.”

Downcast and distraught
The boy walked off
And after shedding copious tears
Came back to his love.

The girl was angry
When she saw him thus
And said, “Don’t you dare come back again
Without your mother’s heart.”

The boy went and killed
A mountain roe deer
And offered its heart
To the one he adored.

But again she was angry
And said, “Get out of my sight.
I told you what I want
Is your mother’s heart.”

The boy went and killed
His mother, and as he ran
With her heart in his hand
He slipped and fell.

"My dear child,
My poor child,”
Cried the mother’s heart,
“Did you hurt yourself?”

Happy Mother’s Day to all, and to one of the brightest of them all: the mother of mine.