Yes

 I think back to the 66 years I had my mother in my life, I always said yes to her questions. The simple things were easy like, do your homework, brush your teeth, help your sister, get your brother out of the tree. The more difficult demands were always done with a positive attitude but I was not happy. I was the second born so I am a middle child. My older brother never had to do chores, he was the last one to the dinner table, he never had to change a diaper, he did whatever he chose to do. I watched in horror as he was given his first bike, he left it on the curb to go into the house and a car ran over it. The next day he had a new bike. He received a $.25 allowance just like me, he did not have to life a finger. My chores were to clean all the steps of the house to the third floor, there were 46 and the wooden banister along side the steps. Another chore was to set the table for the family, pour the milk and dry the dishes. I was not happy.

When Nan spoke we listened. There was never a time that we talked back to her or gave her words under our breath. We held her in high esteem like she was master of the universe. We lived two blocks from her mother, so there were numerous weekly visits. Her immeasurable devotion to her mother was truly awe inspiring and we tried to mimic it. There were times I wanted to cross the line but I never tried. When I was 13 I was invited to my first boy-girl party. I wanted to wear a garter belt and stockings, because all of the girls my age were going to wear them. The answer was NO. Go to the party with white socks and your dress shoes or don't go to the party. I cried, screamed, jumped up and down to no avail. I went to the party, felt like an outsider, hated my mother that day. We had two pair of shoes, one for school, one for church. It was simple, you get a new pair of shoes when school started, another pair of shoes at Easter. Athletic shoes did not exist, neither did tennis shoes for girls.

We were sent to the grocery store for fresh vegetables, bread and milk. We rode our bike and came straight home. There was no time to be with your friends, your purpose was to help your mother get dinner on the table at 5pm. We had one phone in the house, it was on the kitchen wall. If you picked up the phone with another person in the kitchen, you had no privacy. You talked on the bus, talked between classes, played tag in the recess yard, your life was your family. Almost everyone I knew had a both parents in the home. I did not know about divorce until I was over 18. 

As children we did not know what it was called, all we knew was our mother was the most important person in our lives and we needed to respect the ground she walked on. She was alway right. I spent my entire life wanting to be like her, but I never could reach that goal.

Keep Trying!