Last week, Rory, my eldest and twenty-one years old, called me from a nearby Malaysian island. I asked how this was and how that was. Great conversation.
But then I blow it. Like I always do.
She said she was going to go for a swim before getting on the ferry that would head back to the mainland.
I immediately said, “Wait? What? Where are the other girls? Alone? You’re not going swimming alone? You can’t…………..”
She was like, “Mom, you always do this. It’s all going along great and then you……”
I guess the end of that sentence would be, “act like a mom?”
My entire family acts like a mom. Even my dad. Maybe it comes from his side of the family. Bunch of bosses. Not sure why she doesn’t get that after twenty-one years.
Dadisms
“Start moving into the left lane now. The exit’s coming up in fifty-four miles.”
“You’re going to stop in and see “insert any neighbor’s name”, right?”
“The gas tank is only 3/4 full? Fill it up. Better to be safe.”
“Put on the light if you are reading. You’ll go blind sitting over there in the dark!”
“Back the car in.”
“You can’t go out without a coat!”
“You have to stay to the left of the bike path when walking. Only the bikes are allowed in the right lane!”
“Eat your salad. It makes you pretty.”
“Eat your carrots. You never saw a bunny with glasses, did you?”
Dad’s sister, Auntie Rose Marie in New York speaking on the telephone to her adult daughter who is vacationing with me on Cape Cod
“Everybody got their sunscreen on?”
Calcium and daily vitamin consumed?
“Hats?”
“Helmets?” For the love of God, I’m walking!
“Sensible walking shoes?”
“Bottled water?” It was a stroll not a jungle trek.
“Don’t drink and drive.” On bicycles?
Cousins (daughters of Dad’s sister, Rose Marie, while we were spending time together this past summer)
“Everybody got their sunscreen on?”
Calcium and daily vitamin consumed?
“Hats?”
“Helmets?” For the love of God, I’m walking!
“Sensible walking shoes?”
“Bottled water?” It was a stroll not a jungle trek.
“Wine anyone?”
Auntie Maureen in Ireland
“Just stay directly on the footpath. All the way. Do not veer towards the right. Do not veer towards the left. Just stay directly on the path and you won’t get lost. Just stay on the path.”
“No, don’t set your handbag down there on the seat. Mind it.” During Sunday Mass in a suburban Dublin church.
“Do not look them directly in the eyes and watch your valuables.” Little tinker children loitering around us in the city. Okay, maybe she didn’t say anything about looking them directly in the eyes.
Dad’s youngest sister, Aideen, in Ireland calling her adult daughter (who I was staying with) after a week of suggestions on what we should be doing.
“What’s on for today?”
My cousin answered, “How could I know? I haven’t been told yet!”
I was laughing. Sure, we are adults but we are so used to being bossed around by the Dads and the Mams that it is almost second nature to us. We take directions very well.
Why, oh why, did it skip my daughter’s generation? Why doesn’t she get this?
My dad has three more sisters that luckily escaped this posting. And I could go on but just wanted to give you a taste. An idea. What Rory needs to always remember. This “bossiness” only stems from a true love, a desire to protect, and a willingness to demonstrate the utmost caring.
But she might not realize it until she has one of her own. And starts to “blow it” or gets a bit “bossy.”
Sending thanks to every big bossy person in my family that blew it. The day you stop will be the day you don’t care.
Just Being Mary 