Pack Creek Ranch, San Juan County, Utah
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Warm with possible thundershowers

MOTHER’S DAY

A long time ago, when I was a reckless young fire-breathing minister in the stressful days of Civil Rights and Viet Nam, I finished a rousing sermon on morning calling for justice and truth and mercy, with the suggestion that those who did not agree with me were not only wrong, but damned.
Or something along those lines.
A strong, slam-dunk finish.
And I announced that next week was Mother’s Day, and I would speak truth about motherhood on that occasion.

After the service, a middle-aged lady who was a long-time powerfully active member of the church came up to me and said,
“Reverend, I’m bringing my old mother to church next week, and whatever you say about motherhood, it had better be nice.”
“But I thought you hated your mother,” I said.
“I do, but I’m old enough to have learned how to avoid trouble – and you aren’t and haven’t. Just be nice.”

Her admonition rung my “make-sense” bell.
Why make trouble?
Ever since then I’ve tiptoed around Mother’s Day.
It’s an emotional a mine field.
Besides, just about everything that can be said about it has been said.
Leave well enough alone and every mother in peace.

The essay I was going to post today was about lizards – and that will come.
But this morning, Mother’s Day, I played a CD of the singer-songwriter, Cosy Sheridan, and the first song on the album was about mothers.
And it brought tears to my eyes – can’t say why.
Won’t even try.

At least I will share the words of the song with you, and tell you how to listen to Cosy sing it - on YouTube.

If your mother was nice, or you wish she was nice, or if you are a nice mother or wish you had been nice, or if you just wish the world would be nice for about 30 minutes, here’s the lyrics to a nice song – the song I wish I had available for that next Sunday – the Mother’s Day way back when . . .
We would sing it as a hymn.
 

“In the land of 10,000 Mothers,
Every song is a lullaby.
Nobody marches to war.
No one stands in the airport and cries.
 
Nobody dies on the highway,
With too many words left unsaid.
In the land of 10,000 Mothers,
We all sleep safe in our beds
 
In the land of 10,000 Mothers,
Milk and honey flow without end.
Nobody goes away wanting.
You are welcome wherever you’ve been.
 
You are welcome to lay your head down
and get a kiss for every wound.
In the land of 10,000 mothers
You will get better soon.
 
You are welcome no matter what chases you;
Whatever road you chose through the wood.
In the land of 10,000 Mothers,
Somebody loves you and knows you are good.”
 
©  2005 Cosy Sheridan, Cosyng Music BMI

You can go to YouTube to hear Cosy sing the song – there are 2 postings.
The YouTube title is “Land of Ten Thousand Mothers.”
I should add that Cosy is a dear friend, who wrote much of the music for my novel, Third Wish. As her website shows, she has many CD’s available, an indication of her success and popularity in the folk music world as a singer-songwriter. If you ever have a chance to hear her in person, go.