Marketing or Mother's Day

I was at the mall today to pick up a couple of things for my two daughters, and I noticed, as I had never noticed before all the advertising for mother’s day. This year all the store entrances advertising that on that specific day you had to give your mother something, disgusted me. You had to buy her flowers, or a new PB picture frame or this or that. Why? Because it’s all a marketing trick. If you don’t follow the crowd, you feel terrible. You feel as if you don’t love your mother. Right? The websites advertise all the best and the worst gifts you could get your mother. And, of course everyone reads them and tries to follow. The list of all the items you had purchase the previous years grows and grows. Heaven forbids if you get her something twice in a row.
While all these thoughts were crossing my mind, I had to think of the “inventor “of mother’s day, Anna Marie Jarvis, had said after she noticed what had happened to her idea to appreciate mothers. Now I could understand what she meant. She hated the fact that the whole industry took advantage of people’s mind by making them feel good when they bought some flowers or any other item. Sure, I am a woman, I love getting flowers, the more the better. I love PB picture frames, I love clothes etc., you name it. Every year I always used to send my mother flowers from the US to Europe. She always loved them and when I went over to visit, she would show me, which ones had arrived this year. This year my mom is on a business trip and will return a couple of days after mother’s day, so I decided not to send the flowers, but instead waiting until I would see her and buy them for her. Then I realized something: as much as she loves the orchids, maybe she was waiting for something else. Today she called me from her location and I told her how much I missed her, and regardless of her being on a geographically distance, no matter whether she was at her home or on a trip, I felt so lonely without her being at her home. I told her how much I missed calling her the first thing in the morning and that her geographical distance made me so upset and truly noticed the distance now. I told her that I could not wait for her to get home and that I had truly no idea how I would ever survive without her, her voice and just her presence. My mother laughed, and I could feel the love in her laughter. She was so grateful to hear that from me, that I believe not even 100 orchids could have expressed my love, respect and gratitude for her.
I think this year after being my mother’s daughter for 37 years, and being a mom for 13 years, I understood what mother’s day is all about. It’s not about another vase on the kitchen table, another shirt in your closet, or another book. Those things a mother can buy herself. Mother’s day is not about relieving your conscience; it’s about expressing to a mother how you feel about her. I am grateful to my mother for carrying me for 9 months, for giving birth to me, for watching over my bed when I was little, for caring about me when I was sick, for waiting for me to return home from school, for being excited and sad with me, for crying with me and at the same time encouraging me to continue, for pushing me not to give up, and for laughing with me. I am thankful for her just being there for me every time I call her. I love her more than words could possibly express!
To all the mother’s in the world, no matter how young or old, no matter from which great nation of this world: Happy Mother’s Day!

Screaming teenage girls, boys with make-up, and loud loud music: Tokio Hotel CD signing in NYC

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Well, this is not the usual topic I would pick out to write about. It has nothing to do with human rights, women's rights or anything the like. However, it was a life time experience for me. Yesterday the german boy band Tokio Hotel came to NYC in order to sign their first US album SCREAM. I promised my two teenage girls that I would take them and their friend to this event, since their father was the victim in February for their concert.
After picking up the girls earlier from school, where they missed their spring music concert, and one of my daughters missed her ballet practice as well, we got to NY! I had to listen to the music, from the CD and from the backseat, for 1,5 h. Getting in line was a challenge, since they wanted you to buy the CD, where only one CD per person was allowed and get back into line with a wristband. All these kids were getting more and more excited, being dressed like Bill, the lead singer (who actually looks kind of cute, if you are able to see masculine features under all that make up! :), or wearing Tokio Hotel outfits. Once inside the Virgin Atlantic Store it was an hour of waiting: for the teenagers it meant singing with the CD, for the parents it was more the : when is this finally over attitude.
And.... after 1 hour: they came on stage. I was terribly disappointed of myself for not taking my ear plugs. While the music was fine (or my ears got immune after listenign to it for more than 3 years) the screaming was soooooo loud. I think my older daughter mistakenly thought that the scheme of the event was just to scream! I have no idea how many times Bill and Tom were told that someone loves them.
Well, anyways, after three songs, we got back in line to get the CD's signed. I was very very impressed by the boys, mostly by Bill, who was extremely friendly and polite. We were not allowed to take pictures in front of them, however, I asked him whether he would mind looking into my camera, and he agreed immediately and gave me a warm smile. Well, of course each of my daughters gave him and Tom a letter, told them how much they loved them etc etc etc.
Anyways, I had never done anything quiet like this, not even in my very young years. It was some experience.
And hey: the photo will stay a great memory for my daughters as they grow older. I don;t think anyone got this great shot. Thanks Bill!