Wednesday, October 03, 2007

Mothers and daughters

I saw them walk away from me, my mother and my daughter. My mother in her slippers with her stick, head bent to listen, best she could, to my girl's burble. My baby girl beside her, pushing a buggy with a pink and brand new dolly along the road outside the cottages. I thought: "Engrave this on my heart: my mother walking, talking with the little mother next to her.". "Shall we go in?" I heard her granny ask her. "No. Walk again." And walk they did. I thought: "When you are all grown and a mother to more than just a doll, when my mother is no more, will something in you recall this autumn morning's promenade?"

23 comments:

sunshine said...

Wifey -- there is not one superfluous word in this post. It is a gem of expression. All mothers of big or little girls will be standing there in your shoes, watching with you.

Iota said...

The answer is yes, I think so.

shirley said...

shirley said ...

We never had any grandparents.
Mum was a survivor of Auschwitz,Dad
came here though kindertransport, as a lad of 13 from Berlin.
One day, I watched my mother teach my elder daughter(about 6) to play patience.
She said - my mother used to play this.
Suddenly, she came alive.
I would never know how she had lived, or speak a language she spoke.
But, finally, I could see her in the reality of mum and kate kneeling, heads close,on the sitting room carpet.And so alike.
The genes survived.
I wondered - did she cheat a little,as my daughter does ..sometimes, to help the cards come out.. .
Special moments, you're so right.

Wisewebwoman said...

My daughter, aged three and a half, turning me in without a bat of an eye:
You're my mummy's mummy, right?
Yes.
You should know that she just went out in the rain with her slippers and no coat.
Oh.
Is she in trouble?
Yes.
Will you put her in the corner?
Yes.
And I came back in from the clothes line and had to stay in the corner for a whole minute while my daughter giggled and snorted through her milk and cookies.
My mother was dead four months later and my daughter still carries this memory and has the same giggle.
Thanks WITN, you made my day!
XO
WWW

dollshouselin said...

So few words.touched all our souls.

Anonymous said...

I hope she does...

Unknown said...

Whether she does or not, you will, and that makes all the difference...

Swearing Mother said...

She will, and so will you.

Lovely, lovely post.

Michelle said...

Oh, this touched me so deeply. My mother lives with us and is 86. My daughter is 5. I treasure every moment I see them together and hope that my little one will remember time spent with her Nonna.

Uncle Dick Madeley said...

'Engrave this on my heart'

Sounds distinctly painful but I'm willing to give it a go.

Daniel said...

Dear Mrs. Wife-in-the-North

Your vingette was enchanting.

I know that you are lobbying for London, but if I had to pick, I think I might choose the "North."

Irene said...

Brought tears to my eyes. Treasured memories of my mother (now deceased) and my children. And yes, my children do remember just as I remember my grandmother.

FjordLine said...

This post gave me a lump in my throat, because my mother died in tragic circumstances before any of my children were born. I would dearly love for her to have met, held, cuddled my children, and gone walking with them. Treasure this moment, it is precious. You write so beautifully about it. I believe she will, on a deep if not conscious level, always remember this, as you will too.mimi not mike

speccy said...

you always make me cry!

Casdok said...

That was so moving, and Yes!

Isobel said...

Beautiful.

advocate said...

There's something very special about mothers and daughters, a bond, a likeness, a mannerism, a nuance. Your mother will live on in you as you will in your daughter. Bless you all.

aminah said...

why is it of late that the past two posts of yours get tears in my eyes? beautiful

@themill said...

And I don't suppose you would've let them out together like that on a London street.
She'll remember.

Newmania said...

My pants lay curled in the back of the draw like a new born Moles . I looked at them and I felt a bit sad. Dare I ,in this fermata ,reach ,as through the first birth ,take and tame them ,feel love weight of doves in hand ,sweep the universe a long love whip snake riding catch and fall with them ?

Or put my socks on first ?

Hallo wife you`ve still got it I see

All the best

wife in the north said...

ah newmania, a resurgent Tory. I heard they were out there. Welcome home - I've missed you.
(I haven't just been writing about moles. I've written about big Tory breasts too.
http://www.wifeinthenorth.com/2007/09/party-on.html
I am dedicating it to you by way of fatted calf.)

Motheratlarge said...

Beautiful. Touches so exactly on the joy of watching the mother and daughter, the outer generations together.

Sylvia said...

It's both sad and beautiful for me to read these, as I don't have a great relationship with my mother and she has never met my almost three year old daughter. I can't wait for the day that they meet and we can start creating these types of memories!
-Sylvia
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