Notes from Perry Street: May can be overwhelming

By CORBY CARLIN WINTERS, Ambassador at Large

If the month of May has you a bit overwhelmed, you are not alone. To me, it is always one of the busiest months on my calendar.

May often brings me my highest highs and my lowest lows. My mountaintop moments and my deepest valleys.

May is a month of milestones.

The month starts full throttle and does not stop. We have weddings, end of the year school parties, graduation parties, and even kindergartens have graduations.

When the Eldest Son, now almost 26, graduated from kindergarten, his teacher, Josie Exner, helped us celebrate and we cried our eyes out. They wore caps and gowns and we listened to “l’m on my way,” the theme song from Brother Bear.

For years, I played that song with all The SONs of Thunder while driving to school on the first day, and many days after that. I think the CD finally wore out. Yet even if we are incredibly busy, we can still savor these moments and take it all in, every morsel.

And let’s not forget the school musicals, band and guitar concerts too. Then the pool opens! I got to haul the Three SONs to the pool with all the sunscreen and floaties. It seemed like such a huge ordeal, but in the whole scheme of things it was rather easy as I look back.

Non-Profits have many of their events in May. They are so important to our community and so are their wonderful fundraisers. You see what I mean, it is a busy time. And we haven’t talked about finding the perfect clothes for these perfect events either …

May is full of milestones and precious memories.

The Eldest SON of Thunder was born May 17th, so we got to add birthday celebrations to this already busy month. And his parties, well, they were parties of legend to say the least.

There is a great quote, “Where you are be there.” I don’t think there is anything wrong with just being. But being so busy you’re not fully embracing or experiencing the moment makes you miss the moment.

Now we come to the holiday, Mother’s Day. The Eldest SON was born a week before Mother’s Day in Alaska. He was two weeks late and once we were at the hospital he arrived in less than an hour and a half. Winters basically delivered him.

Funny what you remember, I got a microwave with pearl earrings inside for that first birth.

Practicality and pretty earrings were a treat.

Mother’s Day was never the same when mom passed away in 2009. It has gotten better, but I miss her every day. I know on behalf of the Three SONs of Thunder I was still to celebrate Mother’s Day. And along the way I adopted another mom.

Life is full of seasons and knowing the season you are in is huge to your personal success and happiness and making great choices for the here and now and your future.

Life is a journey full of different seasons. But here is something to consider … if you have no children to haul to the pool, no mother to call, no children to love on, maybe God has some other moms, or children or families who need your love.

I am very excited about this Mother’s Day. I think Winters is getting me a battery operated mower. Practical and yes, it is a pretty mower. Priorities do change over the years!

Happy May and Mother’s Day.