My Mother

When Flora married, she didn’t know how to fry an egg! My grandmother came to Heliopolis and stayed with her daughter for a few months. She was followed by Rachel. From the two of them, my mother received detailed instructions as to how to run a household. It was an accelerated program of studies. She must have had a quick mind, for my dad soon expressed satisfaction with his young bride.

In retrospect, and with the benefit of maturity, I can honestly say that my mother gets top marks in most departments. But when it comes to budgeting, I would give her a gold medal! Flora was amazing with money. No matter how tight her budget was, she always managed to squirrel some money away.

A legitimate question: How is it that Bida did not pass on her knowledge to Flora the way she did for her other two daughters?

Flora was the “baby” of the family. My grandmother favored her, but she would have died before openly admitting it. How often did I hear uncle Maurice complains that his mother preferred Flora and her children over her other children and grandchildren?

Ultimately, most of the blame lies at the feet of nonno Michael. Nothing was too good for his beloved Flora. If she wanted something, all she had to do was ask.

At a certain point, she requested a dog; and a puppy was quickly purchased for her. She named it Bijou (jewel). Hearing my grandmother many years later, she (Bida) cared very little for Bijou. But that’s what Flora wanted, and that’s what she got.

Nurture will influence one’s personality. And my mother was no exception. She was spoiled as a child, and it had an impact on the adult woman.

But make no mistake about it. While at times there were echoes of the overindulged little girl, by and large, she was not a selfish person. She went out of her way to please her family.

Despite the fact that she joined the school of life later, she can stand tall with her two sisters. Like them, she was a master at work.

Site Search Tags:
none