This article is a repost. Originally posted for Mother's Day 2008.

Mother's Day, May 10, 2009. (It's better to give love, rather than miss the giving of love)

Her name was Myrtle Dorthy Tasker ( and three husbands later, Plummer-Howard-Gladwell) She was born in rural Minnesota, on May 11, 1913. She was the odd-person-out, in a family consisting of three brothers, Bob, Harry, and Bill, and one sister, Cora. She didn't resemble other members of the family. She always seemed to resemble Native Americans more than her own brothers and sisters.

When she was twelve, she had a bout with polio, which caused
her feet to have some problems and disfigure. And, unlike the rest of the family, who would remain in Minnesota throughout their entire lives, Maggie, as she preferred to be called(she changed her name to Margaret, thus Maggie, for short))wanted out of Minnesota, and, hoped for a better faire through heading west, in the 1930s. She walked the railroad tracks on the first part of the long journey, and then hitchhiked along the famous Route 66, doing whatever jobs she could. Route 66 (U.S. 66) took her to Los Angeles, California, where she met her first husband, Earl.

In 1939, she and Earl, had their only son, my half-brother, Robert Earl. Earl, who I had never met was a used car salesman. And, even, though, I never met Earl, somehow, I still think Earl would have been worthwhile to have met.

Things are pretty sketchy, for me, in giving a detailed history, as, to, what my Mom was doing in the 1930's, prior, to World War II. She did tell me that during World War II, she helped build airplanes for Boeing, in Seattle, Washington. World War II, ended in August 1945. I know my Mom did not work the entire war-years for Boeing. She had communicated to me that she had landed a job at the Beverly Hills Hotel, in Beverly, Hills, California, prior, to the end of WWII.

She had told me about how scarce nylon stockings were during the war-years. I don't know if she was a chef, cook, or just someone who waited tables, but, I had heard her many times tell a story about how she always had a good stock of the rare “nylon stockings.” She, in some way, or another, had made friends, via who work at the Beverly Hills Hotel, with Marlene Dietrick. She was a Hollywood actress, and she would always give my Mom, a gift of nylon stockings.

My Dad was born in Los Angeles, California, on August 8, 1915. My Dad was discharged, honorably, from the United States Navy, in 1945. He and my Mom, met somewhere in the Los Angeles area in late 1945, or 1946. They were married on November 1, 1946, All Saints Day.

I could go on with the history of my family, although, I do not know a lot of details (I wish I did).

But, my point in writing this, is the hope I can bring to others; to always be loving, and understanding, and compassionate, to those who are nearest to you.

Once, they pass away, there is nothing we can say and do, that will change anything. Once, they are no longer with us, we can experience the happy-heart, knowing we said and did, all that we could. Or, sadly, we might find ourselves, with a hollow-heart, always wishing we could have done and/or said the real loving things.

It is no fun to be haunted by the words and acts we should have given to those, while they were still alive. My Mom died a miserable death from breast cancer in 1985. We were never really close. And, on, her death bed, she said to me, “I'm sorry we never got to know each other, very, well...”

And, ya, know? I was sorry too.

And, as time has moved forth, twenty-four years, I have grown to know who she was, more, than at anytime she was alive. I think its probably through “the spirits,” that I have become more aware of who she was, and whose essence still breathes life.

My character and demeanor are much, like hers. It is, as if, I was built on a platform, which held her essence and demeanor, as a foundation block. I know I embrace all of her hopes and dreams.

So, my friends, on this Mother's Day, give your Mom a kiss, hug, embrace, kind words, and remember, what you do for those who are still with you will last forever.
What you do not, will haunt you forever.

Happy Mother's Day 2009, to all Moms!!
And Happy Birthday to my Mom on her 96th birthday, and Happy Mother's Day. I will always remember you!

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