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Momisms

© April Lee Schmidt

I heard my mother’s words coming out of my mouth during a conversation with Samantha. Samantha was a bit upset because a friend made a critical comment about her appearance. I remember going to my mother with a similar concern years ago. My Mom’s observation hit the mark. She told me there are people who will criticize another to cover their own perceived inferiorities. When I repeated this commentary to Samantha, she understood and agreed that in her situation this was the case. Knowing her friend as well as she does, she was quick to forgive the hurtful criticism.

This was not the first time I found myself spouting off one of my mom’s philosophies. It got me thinking though, how many of these ‘momisms’ originated with my Grandmother or even great grandmother?

I know that my Mother got at least two of these ‘momisms’ from her Mother, my Grandma Lucy. I myself was told several times by Grandma Lucy “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all’. I have to tell you Grandma Lucy was a very quiet lady.

My Mom and Aunt were gossiping once about a cousin’s marital separation. They were both going on about how her husband was such a nice person and they just could not believe she would have left him. Out of the blue, my grandma piped in with “You never really know a man unless you have lived with him”.

I have heard my mom and my aunt repeat those ‘momisms’ many times. Those very words have come out of my mouth several times, as well. I suppose these bits of wisdom could be defined as ‘old wives tales’, yet there is a great deal of honesty in them all.

Here are a few more ‘Momisms’ I have picked up along the way and have found myself passing them on to Samantha.

“If you see a penny pick it up, put it in your drawer and it will grow”.

“Two women managing a kitchen is asking for trouble”.

“Peel one potato per person, and one for the pot”.

My all time favorite (and over used I’m sure) “ What goes around comes around.”

Feel free to share your momisms with Samantha and I. We would love to here them!

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