The Moral of the Story -- Cindy Trane Christeson

“God has given us two hands -- one for receiving and the other for

giving.”

-- Billy Graham

Mothers give the gift of life to their children the day they are born

and give of themselves in countless ways every day thereafter. Children

give countless gifts to their parents as well, the favorites of course

being their love, hugs and kisses. When our girls were little, they also

gave us treasured gifts such as hand-drawn pictures and cards, and

homemade coupons that we could redeem later.

Last Christmas, our daughter Kelly gave me a gift that I am redeeming

today. God knew a time would come when I would need this gift. She gave

me the gift of writing a column for me, and I’ve chosen to enjoy her gift

for Mother’s Day.

Last Christmas, Kelly lovingly said, “Mom, I’ve written a column

because I think next year is going to be a big one for you, and I want

you to use it when you need a respite from writing.”

May God bless you with a special Mother’s Day. What follows is Kelly’s

column:

Wednesdays are long, busy days for my mom, but she enjoys them. She

writes this column on Wednesdays, though she frequently starts before

that and often rises early Thursday for more editing and finishing

touches. She flavors her Wednesdays with lunch with some of her closest

friends, but the meat of the day is working on the column that will be in

Saturday’s paper.

Writing a column can try my mom, but the struggle is cathartic. In

case you doubt her words, I’m here to tell you that her stories are true.

If she wrote that something happened on Friday, then you can trust

that it happened on Friday. What she writes is consistent with how she

lives. She rereads and rewrites each sentence many times. She only quotes

others with permission and is excited when she synthesizes her thoughts

about people in her life.

My mom carries pen and paper with her at all times to record events,

quotes, stories, thoughts and observations. She has a small pad of paper

in her purse, in her sweats for walking and bike bag when biking.

Frequently, my dad, sister or I have to repeat our stories so that she

records things exactly as they happened. Sometimes she doesn’t know what

she will do withour experiences, but they often give shape and form to

future columns.

Mom loves us with a love and care that I wish every child knew and

experienced. You might have noticed that her family is a frequent

material source. It’s only natural, and nowadays I am proud to make a

column appearance. There was a time, however, when I complained that at

every restaurant or grocery store, I’d meet people who knew the details

of my life.

I’ve reread those columns that I complained about, and now I see my

mom’s love shining through her words. Her desire to encourage others is

clear. When someone’s actions or words inspire my mom, she shares that to

help us to see our world through hopeful eyes. She prays for God’s

guidance in writing each column, and she enjoys bringing messages of joy

and comfort to her readers.

* CINDY TRANE CHRISTESON is a Newport Beach resident who speaks

frequently to parenting groups. She may be reached via e-mail at o7

cindy@onthegrow.comf7 or through the mail at P.O. Box 6140-No. 505,

Newport Beach, CA 92658.