Reading With My Mother – A Mother’s Day Musing

Today’s post is a bit personal in nature.

My mother and I had never been close.  I always had a closer relationship with my father.  Ever since I can remember, I just always felt more comfortable speaking to my dad, even about embarrassing situations.  As I grew older and had more things in common with my mother, such as becoming a mother myself, our relationship improved.  Still, that connection that many of my friends shared with their mothers wasn’t there.

For years, I would speak to my mother every day.  It was part of my ritual while I prepared dinner.  We shared news, family gossip and talked about cooking.

I am happy to share this post because through reading, my mother and I now communicate more often and have a better relationship than ever before.   When I first read Gabriel’s Inferno by Sylvain Reynard, I told my mom about it.  I immediately read Gabriel’s Rapture and mentioned that book to her as well.  We Googled and ogled some David Gandy (my professor) pics.  My mom was quickly interested and amused.  And yes, she is now a David Gandy fan too.  The moment the books were available in Spanish, I ordered them for her.  Gabriel and Sylvain Reynard entered my 77 year old mother’s life.  It was an amazing thing really.  My mother could not put the books down.  Our communication increased.  She would call me to tell me all about the book and where she was at that moment.  We talked about Gabriel and Julia as if they were real people. We shared the moments in the books together.  I reread the books along with my mother so that I would be right there with her.  This was the first time my mother and I had such an open and friendly relationship.  When my mother finally finished Gabriel’s Rapture, she predicted what was to come in the next book, Gabriel’s Redemption.  We waited months for the final book to become available in Spanish and arrive from Spain.  She quickly devoured that book as well.

 

This series, this trilogy, brought my mother happiness.  Not only did we discuss the book, but we discussed literature, the Italian culture, travel and even religion.  I had never had so many interesting conversations with my mom like I did after reading these books.

Since reading this series, my mother started reading other books.  Now, we don’t just talk about the weather, family issues and work, we talk about books and authors. My relationship with my mother has totally improved.  Books written by my favorite authors made this possible.

My mother is now going to read Beautiful Bastard (Un Tipo Odioso) by Christina Lauren in Spanish.  I brought it back from Spain.  I can’t wait for the conversations that book will bring.  Oh my, I am sure they will be very interesting.

I am thrilled to have established this new relationship with my mother.  It may have taken us a long time to get there, but I am the happiest I have ever been with my mother today.

Thank  you to those authors that have made this relationship possible.  Sylvain Reynard, Isabel Allende, Paolo Coelho and Christina Lauren.

For Mother’s Day this year, I am giving my mother books.  We need to keep our conversations about book boyfriends going.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers out there.

Happy Reading!

~Susi