I woke up around 3:30 to drive to Springfield to take the 5:30 bus to Boston to meet my mother. The parking lot attendant told me in all his years he has never had a customer drive to take a bus. I explained my mother had an appointment with a specialist at Mass General and I wanted to be there and I also wanted to ride back in the car with her because she was spending the weekend with me: Operation Good Daughter. I had to kinda be a jerk to my mother when she wanted to discuss how I would get there and our weekend plans, "Just let me do this. I am planning a beautiful, thoughtful weekend. I don't want to tell you anything. Can't I just surprise you." I explained later I needed to disarm her. I made a list of some of my favorite stories about my mother, things to ask her about that would prompt some of her happiest memories, advice to seek, a shopping trip so she could treat me, drives through old neighborhoods, dinosaur tracks and coffee and sweets. All the planning paid off. Then I made her this card to commemorate her visit. All you have to do is decide what is really important to you. Then put some thoughtful time and effort into the plans. Then execute your plan, and be patient and pay attention and share and connect. I love my mother and I want to make sure she knows it.
