In a child’s eyes, a mother is a goddess. She can be glorious or terrible, benevolent or filled with wrath, but she commands love either way. I am convinced that this is the greatest power in the universe. – American writer, blogger N.K. Jemisin
The Xlibris Blog honors all the mothers in the world on their special day this month. As we celebrate Mother’s Day, we feature one of our promising Xlibris authors, Velma Jean Wilson, who has taken into heart the abovementioned quote. Velma pays tribute to her mother through her book What’s in the Water recently released by the leading Indiana-based self-publishing company Xlibris.
With timeless family values, her book makes an ideal present not only on Mother’s Day but on every family occasion. Her memoir also serves to inspire families of every race or religion.
Velma Remembers Her Mom’s Legacy
My recent published book by Xlibris is titled, “What’s in the Water?” The book is a tribute to my beloved mother who raised seventeen productive children; majority was born during the tumultuous times of the 1950s and ‘60s in the segregated Delta. Her life ended from cancer, at the age of 57 . The book tells of her extraordinary faith and shares her family core moral values and parental principles that helped mold her seventeen living children. “What’s in the Water” also speaks of her strength, resilience and tenacity in the face of life’s adversities.
The one chapter that stands out in the book is the eleven key parental principles that my mother instilled in my siblings and me. These core family values have sustained us throughout our lives. These principles gave each of us the desire and the heart to make something positive out of our lives. Some of the key principles listed in the book include; “attending church is not an option; work hard for whatever you get; take care of what you have; learn to laugh, know the value of getting an education; and respect your elders.”
The most memorable lesson my mother taught me was to respect my elders. This lesson was learned at a very young age as I watched my mother care for her mentally challenged mother. My grandmother didn’t have a stable home until my mother brought her to live in our household. We didn’t have much. Our lives started out on a small rural farm in the Delta, but my mother made life seem so special. As a young child, I watched my mother cook, clean, bath, nurture, and give my grandmother all the comforts my parents could afford. Some of my mother’s greatest gifts were cooking and canning. She cooked from “scratch” homemade cakes, pies, cobblers, and the best buttermilk biscuits and rolls. Her fried chicken smothered in gravy served over hot steamy rice, savory stuffed bell peppers, delicious creamy mashed potatoes, chicken n’ dumplings, freshly cooked garden vegetables seasoned to perfection were some of my favorite dishes. She loved to can and was a master at it. The homemade jams, jellies, peaches, pears, apples, pickles, and beets were all mouth-watering delights.
Her Mom’s Greatest Gift
It wasn’t until after writing “What’s in the Water” that I realized the greatest gift my mother gave my grandmother was the children she birthed into this world. My grandmother lived to be in her late 80s and she was around to hold and rock most of my siblings and me. One of my grandmother’s greatest joys was sitting in her rocking chair and having her grandchildren in her presence. We were the source of her existence and our mother made it very apparent that despite my grandmother’s mental state, we should love and respect her. As we grew older, we helped to take care of her physical needs. Thus the love and respect for the elders started with my maternal grandmother, but my mother during her lifetime, demonstrated her passion and love when she was called upon to care for elderly neighbors or ill family members and friends. She did it with humility and sensitivity.
A million thanks to all the mothers in the world for their unconditional love as exemplified in this book. We also wish you, Velma Jean Wilson, all the best in promoting your inspiring memoir.
For more Xlibris authors and their books, visit the Xlibris Indie Author Roundup. Plus, learn your way around self-publishing by reading tips on writing, editing, and book marketing from the Xlibris Writer’s Workshop.