When my youngest sister went off to college, my mother attended an orientation meeting on campus in a large auditorium filled with a couple thousand parents. My mom happened to sit in the first row in front of the speakers podium. The administrator began by asking the audience members to raise a hand if this was their first child to go to college. Naturally, a good percentage raised their hands. Then he asked if any parents who had a second attend college—fewer raised their hands—and so on through three and four children. By the time he got to five children in college, my mom was the only parent in the room still raising her hand, and astonished murmurs began to buzz throughout the auditorium. On and on the administrator, now taking his time and milking the moment, paused before asking with drawn-out mock skepticism, Six children? Then, Seven children? Silently, mom raised her hand again and again. At Nine children? the crowd began to cheer and clap. Finally, after the speaker asked if she had eleven children go to college, my mom raised her hand even higher and cried out, Yes, and shes the last one! Standing ovation. Thanks mom. And every mom reading this. All our birthdays are really about you, the saints of the modern age.
Posted on: Fri, 03 Oct 2014 23:15:33 +0000
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