Something to Remember By...

I stood with the other adoring fans at the backstage entrance waiting for the *stars* to greet their fans. One of the other mothers looked at the two bouquets of roses in my arms and then, spotting the third object, tiltled her head quizzically and asked, "Spoon?"

"Yes, wooden spoon," i whispered, " a Baker's spoon."

"Oh, what a great idea, " the mother of the "Baker's Wife" responded.

"Waaaay back in the day...when I was in high school doing musicals," i told her, " my mother would put something little that reflected my character in each of my bouquets on opening night...that way, when the flowers faded, i still had a memento of her affection and affirmation. I still have some of them."

"That is a great idea," the baker's wife's mother responded, "I wish I had thought of that."

"Well," i admitted, "Andrew warned me not to bring him flowers...but i just had to bring the memento. After all, it was his nana's idea first."

The short conversation made me remember my mother's radiant pride at my youthful accomplishments and how thoughtful she had been to give me little trinkets that have, through time, transformed into treasures. That same sense of prideful pleasure was surging through me now, thanks to my son.

"The Baker" and his "Wife," began to greet their adoring fans, along with the rest of the cast of my son's high school's production of  "Into The Woods." I gave a bouquet to the "Baker's Wife" and one to "Rapunzel" (my son's girlfriend in real life).

Andrew, the "Baker" -my son-  looked at the ribbon-adorned spoon quizzically, "A spoon?"

"Well, you told me not to get you flowers...it's not just a spoon...it's a baker's spoon for the best baker in the house. You were so wonderful!"

He laughed, gave me a big squeeze and whispered in my left ear, "I love you, too, Mom."