Homework January 2025 - Things My Mother Taught Me

[Shelley Hansen]

Hi All

I've really enjoyed the excellent poems generated by Maureen's insightful prompts this month. Here is my slightly late effort - which is actually true. My mother did say these things (and many more). One of her favourite admonitions was ... "I cried because I had no shoes, until I saw a man who had no feet." She always emphasised the importance of gratitude for what we have.

THINGS MY MOTHER TAUGHT ME
© Shelley Hansen 2025

“If you’ve something worth saying, then say it,”
said my mother when I was a child.
“Lift your voice, stand up straight, and relay it.
Speak it clearly – not angry, but mild.

For respect is essential, my daughter,
and it’s always a broad two-way street.
Keep your cool and respect (as you “ought-er”)
all the boundaries of people you meet.

Count your blessings whenever you’re pensive
and you’ll find it will take quite a while.
Then give thanks for a list that’s extensive –
gratitude turns each frown to a smile.

You may cry with no shoes and no money
till you see someone else with no feet
who is worse off than you – and it’s funny
how perspective turns bitter to sweet.

Look for heroes in people around you –
they’re not all on the big silver screen.
Random acts of real kindness may ground you
and remind you of where you have been.

Yes, remember the paths you have travelled,
for they point to the journey ahead.
Then, as future events are unravelled,
you’ll draw strength to walk on without dread.

Most important – today is for living!
Grasp it tight, and your spirits will lift.
Savour daily the joys “now” is giving –
for the present is truly a gift.”

[Ron]

Well done Shelley, well written and with good use of the prompts.
My Mum also was a great one for the adage and proverb and it's countless times, that over the years, they just seemed to appear from the back-blocks of the mind! So I can certainly relate to your words.
And how appropriate they can be at times.
Enjoyed the read, thank you,
Cheers
Ron.

[Catherine Lee]

Ah, this is great, Shelley, and I can hear my own mother saying very similar things... "Then give thanks for a list that’s extensive" – I like this. Counting our blessings is always very important. A lovely poem!

[Terry]

Your Mother was obviously a verry sensible woman Shelley,
so much wisdom in her advice.
Also a very well written poem and you have used a rhyming pattern that really suited the poem.

Terry

[Maureen K Clifford]

Seems we all had smart mums and you've woven those pithy sayings well in this poem. Perhaps our parents generation had more compassion and understanding because of what they themselves had been through. Depression, two world wars, rationing etc whereas todays generation have never even experienced a boot up the bum or a clip around the ear. Never had their mouths washed out with soap, or made accountable for anything as far as I can see. And look where that has got us.

[Shelley Hansen]

Thanks so much everyone - and yes, Maureen, I agree - it was likely being brought up in hard times that gave our parents their practical wisdom.

Cheers
Shelley