Ready for Marriage?

from Ben's mom

I had a call from my wonderful brother this week. He called to run his Mother's Day gift idea by me. "Ah," I hear you sigh. But that is not the spectacular part. The amazing thing is that for 28 years I have taken responsibility for first, signing his name to any cards/gifts given on Mother's Day, and then later, calling him a few days before and reminding him that the day was approaching. I have never resented this duty. I am first and foremost, grateful to my parents for having a second child, when my strong-willed nature may have convinced them to stop at one. (And when I was 4 and 5 years old, I was certain that something was indeed wrong and I would be an only child.) Second, I am a choleric first-born who takes great delight in organizing the world around her. Third, and most importantly, my brother is very generous and his lack of attention to dates has never been linked to any lack of gratefulness on his part. He is generous to a fault.

But back to the Call. After I recovered from shock that he had remember Mother's Day on his own, I proceeded to listen to one of the most spectacular Mother's Day gift ideas in history. At the same time, I uncomfortably realized that I had forgotten to get a card for my mom and the date to mail was clearly past.

And then, it hit me. Any woman, in her 20's or 30's will likely sigh and swoon when they learn of my brother's sweet gift for Mom. He is likely to smite the hearts of single women throughout California and Oregon. If I were a single, non-related woman in his world, I would recognize that he is indeed ready for marriage, and I would bake him cookies.

Note: To the person I made a private bet with that it would be another 4 years before he married, I am amending it to 2 based upon the events of this week.