Pam's Mom

When I was twelve our family moved from Kent, Ohio to Roselle, Illinois—in March. At the time we were a family of four kids; I was the oldest, with another on the way. Eventually the kids would total seven in all. My brothers moved into our new neighborhood and didn't skip a beat, had new friends and were out riding bikes and playing baseball within hours of our arrival.

It was more difficult for me; there were no kids my age in the neighborhood, and entering a new school with three quarters of the year gone can be daunting for anyone. Finding acceptance among your new group of peers is not easy, especially at the junior high age.

The girls at St. Walter's were never mean to me, but I was always on the fringes looking in. Never really accepted. Seventh grade completed, summer gone, and eighth grade was much the same.

I used to iron (willingly?!?) to pass the time on the weekends. One day my mom came down to the family room to find me crying. She asked what was wrong, and I said nobody liked me. I said I didn't fit in. She asked why I didn't fit in. I told her they wore different clothes than me, specifically coats and shoes stuff "in style" (I didn't have to worry about other clothes we were all in identical uniforms).

My mother immediately went upstairs and brought down the Penney's catalog. She told me to pick out what I needed to "fit in." With five kids, money was not flowing, but she never told me what I could or could not spend.

I picked out a green corduroy coat and a pair of purple and white checked tennis shoes (quite a fashion statement!). I wore my new treasures immediately after they arrived. All the girls commented on my coat and my shoes, and suddenly I was a part of everything, no longer on the fringes looking in.

At the time, I was sure that the coat and shoes had been the catalyst for my being accepted. However, as I became older and wiser, I realized that what my mother had given me was the confidence to feel like I truly fit in. These St. Walters' girls are still my friends today, many, many years later.

My mom has done innumerable wonderful things for me, but this is what I always remember first.

Pam

Thanks again to Pam View for a tribute to Mother’s Day and a story about her wise and loving mom. Pam is the owner and resident chocolatier of Chocolate Inspirations, Inc. She’s a culinary artist with fifteen years of practical experience and teaches chocolate making. I’m here to tell you she makes the best English toffee on this planet, and they ship! Her daughter Marcy works with her in their family business. Check Pam’s web site for information about Chocolate Inspirations, Inc.

Happy Mother’s Day! To all who have lost their mom, as have I, Happy Memories Day!

Donna