Image Of The Week March 28th 2014

VIX

This is a picture of my Mum and I on my wedding in December 2002, one of the few images of just us two together. There’s many reasons I could give you for loving my Mum but 2 spring to mind instantly. 1/She let me go. From an early age I always wanted to travel and explore the world. She never argued, just outwardly supported my whim of the day/week/year and in my 18th year waved me off as I headed for America. Somehow I hope I’d be the same with my kids but the thought of them leaving me fills me with panic and sadness (maybe I’ll feel differently in 10 years or so!) 2/ She loves my children nearly as much as I do. They love their Nana and the love is returned. Things that I can’t teach them, she does. Oh, and they always get Jelly at her house.

MEGAN

Relations with my mother haven’t always been the smoothest, I seemed to take a long time to come out of that teenage phase! However, I have always known how much my Mum loves me and how much she supports me (even if some of my choices aren’t quite what she envisaged!). My Mum was widowed last year at the age of 67. She became the most stoical lady I have ever met – she was determined to keep my father at home while he was ill, and she did, only taking extra support in for the last few weeks. Secondly, the love she shows my children is phenomenal, she always has so much time for my children, and the influence she has in their lives has taught my children so much about being a good and nice person. I really would be lost without my Mum’s love and support: Happy Mothers Day Mum, we love you to the moon and back.

ROSIE

Taken around November 1966 and one of many, many photographs of my childhood. My artist father and creative mother loved the liberation and scope that Kodak and others brought to the masses, making photography an every day art. The print of this photo is slightly fuzzy – a little diminished by time, a little imperfect in it’s technical execution. But the expressions and emotions could not be more clear. My father clearly loved this frame, having it enlarged and printed and this is the image that is on my desk today. Not perfect, not posed,yet promising so much. Once I became a Mum I loved this image even more and over the 5 years since I lost my Mum it has become truly priceless.

MELISSA

This is my mum, holding me at just one day old. Please note the sophisticated hair up-do and blue eye shadow. Right there is a level of grooming I haven’t been able to attain ever since I’ve had children, let alone in hospital the day after giving birth. I love everything about this photo – the look of love on her face shines so clearly and she hasn’t stopped looking at me like that for the last 42 years.

My mum is very special to me and to my girls, partially because she gave me so much practical help and encouragement when they were little, and because she has had to do it without my Dad, who sadly passed away before his granddaughters were born. Although times have been tough for her since my father died, still she has been a wonderful Nana, and I am more proud of her than she can possibly know as she prepares for an exciting new adventure this year.

PENNY

Well, I know it’s hard to believe, but there are NO pictures of my mum and I, together, looking as though we like each other… not even at my wedding! After hours of searching Dad found one terrible photo of us on a very wet day in Tenby, but Mum is clearly not having a great time so I have decided to put one in of her on her wedding day. My mum is my biggest fan and I love everything about her, she is just the sort of straight forward, kind and honest person I aspire to be.

NAT

It’s hard to pick just one image that truly represents your mum – try and you’ll see how hard it is. My mum has always been the quiet supporter, nuturer, cheerleader when needed and my best friend. She is the person I turn to when I need to talk, the one who picks me up when things have been so dark and bleak I never thought I’d find a way out, the educator, the kindest and bravest woman I know. She’s brought up a family with no mother of her own and through it all had time and energy to support all those around her from complete strangers to family near and far in other countries. The last few years have thrown up a series of medical issues, all of which she’s dealt with in her usual happy disposition shunning attempts to get her to rest with the catch all “it’s just old age catching up with me” line. I love her more than I will ever be able to put into words but don’t tell her this as often as I should. She has taught me everything I know about being a better person, bringing happiness and kindness into the world and raising my children to cherish everything they have and never to take that for granted. For everything you are and everything you do mum, Happy Mothers Day.