On Mother's Day...with regret, but also rejoicing
I am so incredibly sad to say that I am without the lovely presence of my very special mother today. She, more than any other person in my life, made it possible for me to become the woman that I am today -- for better or for worse. I dream of her often and wish that I could share so many things with her. I loved treating her to the Mother's Day Brunch at the Netherland Hilton -- when we both could get all gussied-up and feel like special ladies -- as a show of my appreciation and love for her . Crab legs, shrimp, prime rib, Mimosas...ooo la la! My mother was worthy of anything. She was an angel with beautiful blue eyes and red hair. Ahhh... a Kennedy, you say. That's right!
I come from a working class background in Northern Kentucky -- and my parents were not among those who found going to the Cincinnati Symphony or Playhouse in the Park to be among their normal leisure night activities. (In fact, the only time I actually remember us going as a family to Music Hall for *any*thing was one night to see a *wrestling* match!) And yet, after we moved to Clifton and my father began working for the University of Cincinnati, I told my mother how much I really wanted to attend the CSO's "Young People's Concerts" and the offerings of the "Children's Theater." Innately she knew, somehow, how important it could be to me and that it would give me the experiences that she had never had and, miraculously, she somehow came up with the price of admission. Neither of us ever suspected that I would one day actually know and become friends with The Maestro.
I will always remember the remarkable beauty of my first sight of the interior of Music Hall -- the sparkling chandelier being raised toward the ornately painted ceiling, right before the concert -- the huge majestic space, in all of its red velvety grandeur -- the largest concert hall in all of North America.
We may have come from poor roots financially, but spiritually...ah, there's the rub! Music is such an amazing gift...and I only wish that my beloved Mother was here to spend it with me (and to be able to meet my dear friend Paavo)...
I come from a working class background in Northern Kentucky -- and my parents were not among those who found going to the Cincinnati Symphony or Playhouse in the Park to be among their normal leisure night activities. (In fact, the only time I actually remember us going as a family to Music Hall for *any*thing was one night to see a *wrestling* match!) And yet, after we moved to Clifton and my father began working for the University of Cincinnati, I told my mother how much I really wanted to attend the CSO's "Young People's Concerts" and the offerings of the "Children's Theater." Innately she knew, somehow, how important it could be to me and that it would give me the experiences that she had never had and, miraculously, she somehow came up with the price of admission. Neither of us ever suspected that I would one day actually know and become friends with The Maestro.
I will always remember the remarkable beauty of my first sight of the interior of Music Hall -- the sparkling chandelier being raised toward the ornately painted ceiling, right before the concert -- the huge majestic space, in all of its red velvety grandeur -- the largest concert hall in all of North America.
We may have come from poor roots financially, but spiritually...ah, there's the rub! Music is such an amazing gift...and I only wish that my beloved Mother was here to spend it with me (and to be able to meet my dear friend Paavo)...
posted by Sandrine at 8:01 AM
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