Ecclesiastes 3:11 | Things I Want To Tell My Mother

Dear Mom,

Years ago, I got you the book by Robert Fulghum, ALL I REALLY NEED TO KNOW I LEARNED IN KINDERGARTEN. Your favorites from his list of the basic rules included these: Play fair, Don’t hit people, Clean up your own mess, Flush, Say you’re sorry when you hurt somebody, and Share everything. (You once laughingly said that children could be counted on to share their mother’s age, chicken pox, and bad words. I think you were adding to an Erma Bombeck list with some of your own.)

Robert Fulghum shared his favorite information in his book, and everyone who read it learned something. I was thinking about that when I recently came across this quote by Carl Sagan: “Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.” If we combine and paraphrase Fulghum and Sagan, we have this inspiration: Somewhere, something basic and honest is waiting to be shared with others.

So here’s an idea: why don’t you and I share our favorite quotes, and see how many of our blog buddies respond by sharing their favorite quotes? Think of all we could learn!

Okay, we’ll start with you. Because of the dementia, you probably don’t remember your favorites, but I do. One that you shared during both happy and sad times to keep things in perspective is from Ecclesiastes 3:11—“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven…”

One of my favorite quotes is a touching reminder of all those who’ve gone before us and made a difference in who we are. It’s by Native American writer Linda Hogan: “Walking. I am listening to a deeper way. Suddenly all my ancestors are behind me. Be still, they say. Watch and listen. You are the result of the love of thousands.”

And now, Mom, we’ll wait for our blog friends to comment or share their favorite quotes. You taught me this: everyone has something to share, and we can all learn from each other.