Serendipity

My parents were married in 1956, in a Catholic church. Mom was Protestant. That very fact that she was, caused a lot of issues to rise on my dad’s side of the family, all devout Catholics. I’m really not sure how well my mom was liked by her in-laws, but in the years to follow, despite the family’s animosity, she refused to convert to dad’s religion. Mom was a gentle woman, very loving and giving. She wasn’t one to meddle in other’s affairs yet she stood her ground when she believed she was right. I was born in 1958 and by the time that I was 6 or 7, a silent war raged on that I was unaware of. Mom wanted me to know both religions, so I went to church school at a Baptist church on Tuesday afternoons as a time-release from my regular schooling. On Saturdays, one of my parents drove me to another church school at the family’s church (St. Vincent) for a couple of hours of Catholic teachings. This went on for at least a year, maybe two. I remember that one day, sometime af...

1. My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE. "If you're going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished cleaning." 2. My mother taught me RELIGION. "You better pray that will come out of the carpet." 3. My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL. "If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week." 4. My mother taught me LOGIC. "Because I said so, that's why." 5. My mother taught me MORE LOGIC. "If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you're not going to the store with me." 6. My mother taught me FORESIGHT. "Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you're in an accident." 7. My mother taught me IRONY. "Keep crying, and I'll give you something to cry about." 8. My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS. "Shut your mouth and eat your supper." 9. My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISM. "Will you look at that ...