My mom was a farmer’s wife and all that it entails. From sun up to sun down (and beyond), she worked. Hard. To list everything that she was to me and our family would be an all day process. Trust me, I’ve tried. But my favorite memory of my mom came after my parents had quit farming. I grew up in a family that loved music! I grew up listening to Jan and Dean, Hank Williams, Tammy Wynette, Loretta Lynn, The Beach Boys and Herman’s Hermits. Often my dad and I would sing along with whatever song was on the radio, but never a note came from my mom’s lips. One day, I was upstairs in my room and, as is often the case in old farmhouses, I heard something from the kitchen which was directly under my room. I sat and listened, but couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I crept down the stairs and opened the door a crack. On my little brother’s record player (yes, you read that correctly) was playing The Beach Boys- Surfin’ USA and my mom was singing along…and dancing around the kitchen. It was just her in the kitchen. I sat there for the longest time with my head against the wall, listening to her sing through the entire album. It was the most heart-touching moment. When I shared this with her in later years, she looked at me, stunned, “I didn’t know anyone was watching.” I just smiled and tucked the memory away in my heart.
Leave a Comment