Peony blossoms are so colorful, with the delicate petals swaying in the breeze as soft as a mother's touch, the perfect flower for Mother’s Day.  What better way for Mother Nature to honor our mothers than with this brilliant show of flowers.
Mother's Day Haiku
to all the women
who are or wish to be moms
Happy Mother’s Day
My mother’s face would light up when she thought about peonies. Childhood memories of her mother and the rustic garden she tended brought a smile to her face. This peony has been passed down from my maternal grandmother's modest garden. We also think it was passed down to Cora from her mother, my great grandmother. I was gifted tubers from this plant from my cousin Wanda and hope to pass this on to my children one day. I've renamed this peony 'Cora Ford', my grandmother's maiden name.
Peonies, like sakura (cherry blossoms), remind us of the impermanence of life. Spring herald's new life with eternal promise. Plants grow, flower buds emerge with the anticipation of flowers blooming, the beautiful blossoms appear, and then they fade reminding us to appreciate the moment for it will not last forever. So, if your mother is living, pause and give her the present of your time for she will not always be here in the flesh. If she has passed, pause and talk to her spirit for she will hear you.
Whether biologic or adopted, for better or worse, your mother is your mother, no one can take her place. When my mother died, a friend put it very simply when she said "there is no one like your mother."
A gallery of peonies
To all of the moms out there whose work is never done, everyday should be Mother's Day.
Other stories celebrating moms:
Happy Mother's Day!