Sharing mothers' smiles

When holidays like Mother's Day are approaching, we typically brainstorm ideas for stories, features and photos that will involve our readers and provide something interesting for both print and online editions. We're particularly conscious of our readers' engagement with social media, and we look to how people are using Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest for ideas.

This year, online editor Eileen Faust noted that one of her sisters often posts a picture of their Mom as her Facebook status picture on Mother's Day. Following that idea, we decided to ask readers to send us pictures of their moms. We're compiling them for a full page in print on Sunday; we've created a Pinterest board, and they're also appearing on our Facebook page.

I was immediately jealous of the pictures my co-workers were able to share of themselves with their mothers. First of all, it will be 10 years in August since my mother died, and I miss her every day. Seeing photos of daughters and moms laughing together -- at family picnics, a Phillies game, children's birthday parties, dinners together -- just makes me miss her more.

It's not that I was robbed of a full life with my mother; she was 86, and I was 48 when she died. But there's never a milestone in life or a precious moment that I don't want to share with my Mom. That's just the way it is.

And if seeing my younger co-workers with their mothers wasn't enough age-envy, there's the technology gap. I don't have any digital photos of my Mom, and I don't have many print photos of just the two of us. Once I was married and a mother, it seems all the pictures we took were my Mom and the kids.

So I ended up with these two pictures. One is a Mother's Day photo of me and my mother, circa 1980. It wouldn't require time-advancing photo techniques to illustrate how much I would age in resemblance of her. Any current photo of me will prove the truth of what so many people who knew her tell me.

The other photo of my Mom was taken at a birthday party for her at my brother's house -- it is a picture of my mother laughing. It satisfies the other longing because it brings her to life.


Sunday's Living front will feature the photos of many moms submitted by our readers. When we brainstormed how to feature Mother's Day, we settled on inviting readers to share their mothers' smiles. Because these are the images that live forever, even when mothers are gone.

Making a difference on Mothers Day

The card companies, florists and restaurants will have you believe Mother's Day is just for gifts and pampering. The tributes and thanks are important, and don't get me wrong, this is not a pass for my children to forget to call, write or send flowers on Sunday, May 13. But Mother's Day can be more than being pampered -- for some, it's a chance to celebrate and champion what mothers do best -- care, nurture, effect change, and make a difference. I have for many Mother's Days run in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure 5K in Philadelphia. Getting up at 5:30 a.m., driving to Philly to participate with more than 100,000 people running through the streets may not sound like fun to everyone, but it is a treasured tradition for me. I can think of no better way to celebrate Mother's Day than to spend a few hours outdoors with families honoring the women in their lives, or like me, remembering one who lost a battle with breast cancer. Two years ago, I spent Mother's Day moving our eldest child to a new life in New Haven, Ct. Nothing like celebrating motherhood by pushing a child out of the nest. And, last year, I ran the Race for the Cure with my daughter six days before witnessing her graduation at Ursinus College. This year proves to be another adventure in nurturing: the Mother's Day cleanup by The Mercury and friends to protect Mother Earth. The Mercury staff, under the coordination of Community Engagement Editor Diane Hoffman, is embarking on a spring cleanup of Ganshahawny Park in Douglass (Berks) Township. The cleanup area was found with the help of the Schuylkill Action Network and the votes of our readers on Facebook. The Schuylkill Scrub organization is providing trash bags and reflector vests, and several people have volunteered to help. We had some concerns about scheduling the cleanup on Mother's Day, but the timing from 8 to 10 a.m. shouldn't interfere too much with anyone's brunch plans. Getting muddy and picking up trash may not seem to some like a good way to spend Mother's Day. I think it's perfect: playing in the dirt with kids and doing something to make the world a cleaner, more cared-for place. Isn't that the best part of being a Mom? To volunteer to help The Mercury make our “Mother Earth” a little brighter this Mother’s Day, contact Diane Hoffman at dhoffman@pottsmerc.com or call 610-323-3000 ext. 156. Or show up. These are directions from The Mercury to the park (B):
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