Painting by Belynda Wilson Thomas

I think in a lot of ways unconditional love is a myth. My mom’s the only reason I know it’s a real thing. Conor Oberst

Yesterday was Mother’s Day and my daughter and son made breakfast. My daughter-in-law was hosting her family in the afternoon so they had to leave before my mother-in-law arrived. My son-in-law barbecued burgers and we had a lovely afternoon.

There is controversy about celebrating Mother’s and Father’s days in schools and I think this should be left up to the teachers to figure out what is best for their class. Maybe it would have been best if this didn’t become a big commercial holiday, but it is and if it is taken away over not everyone having a mother in their life, many of us will feel – one more thing is being taken from us.

I sent a bouquet of flowers to Mom through a local florist where she lives, and for the first time, she told me the flowers were not fresh. I’m not a person that likes confrontation, nor am I a complainer, but I think I should let the owner know instead of just taking my business to the local grocery store which is what Mom suggests.

If I have done anything in life worth attention, I feel sure that I inherited the disposition from my mother. Booker T. Washington

My husband picked up flowers for his Mom and the lady at the cash told him to pick another bouquet the one he’d chosen was not fresh enough. The one he gave his mother was beautiful and thanks to the lady’s advice will last longer.

On Valentine’s Day, the roses my husband bought were past their best. It is hard to get flowers that meet the demand these days when everyone wants to pick up a bouquet for their mother, but a few experiences with poor flowers and we’ll choose something else or at least somewhere else to provide our flowers.

Business is tough and if our customers don’t give us the feedback we need to improve, and instead take their business somewhere else without giving us an opportunity to make it right, we lose. So I am going to give them a call, I’ve developed a bit of a relationship with the owner over the years as I’ve called to send flowers to Mom. She deserves to know because quality control is only something we can improve if we know it needs improving.

There was a time when I wouldn’t have made the call. I would never use her service again and she would never know why. I like that we have independent florists; I don’t want small entrepreneurs to no longer be in business. So today I will make an uncomfortable phone call and hope she receives it in the spirit intended.

I hope everyone enjoyed Mother’s Day, it is more enjoyable if we still have our Mother to spend time with or talk to, but even if we don’t, even if we never knew our mother, she gave us life and the opportunity to live this life and that is something to be grateful for.

A man loves his sweetheart the most, his wife the best, but his mother the longest. Irish Proverb

It takes months to find a customer… seconds to lose one. Vince Lombardi

Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning. Bill Gates

Thank you for reading this post I hope you enjoyed it. Please come back and read some more. Have a blessed day filled with gratitude, joy, and love.