This week we highlight another wonderful essay from the Mothers & More Power of a Purse writing contest asking women to share their “purse-onal stories”.
This week we highlight runner up Sharon Berger, a Mothers & More member from Bergen County, NJ, Chapter 40 and her beautiful essay on her grandmother’s purse. Sharon is the second place winner in the writing contest
Here’s Sharon’s winning essay:
My very first memory of any purse is that of my grandmother’s pocketbook.
It had a kissing-lock closure, with two interlocking metal beads set on the top of the frame. Inside, one might have found lipstick, a few black bobby pins, tissues, house keys, car keys, her checkbook, probably an “ink pen,” and definitely some loot.
When I think of the power of the purse, what comes to mind are the coins rumbling around in her old pocketbook, waiting for me to tilt it at the right angle so they would all come rolling down to one corner, where I would catch them up in my little hand.
One of our favorite outings was going together to the local drugstore, aptly named “Thrifty’s,” and getting a scoop or two of cold, creamy ice cream while we shopped for envelopes, scotch tape, or the most recent TV Guide. In those days, you could buy a single scoop of ice cream for a dime, a double scoop for a nickel and a dime, and a triple scoop for a quarter. That loose change didn’t just purchase ice cream – it purchased fun, shared times, and good memories.
My grandmother was not a woman of significant monetary means. But I would venture to say she felt fortunate to have means, and what she did have she shared generously with those she loved.
What is the “power of a purse?” It is a powerful – and I believe necessary – feeling to be able to give; and it is a generous and wonderful gift to be able to receive. The purse that holds the coins is merely a symbol of this exchange – both being equally important.
What is more important than to be able to provide for oneself and for those for whom one cares?
About the Author: Sharon Berger is a suburban housewife living in Fort Lee, NJ with her husband and two children. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and has taken several creative writing courses. This is her second published piece.
It’s not too late to give yourself, or a mother you love, a Mother’s Day gift of a Mothers & More membership! For the month of May, save $5 on a new membership. Just enter save5inmay when you checkout. Follow this link and save — http://mothersandmore.3dcartstores.com/Memberships_c_1.html
In keeping with the Power of a Purse mission to help women to increase their financial awareness, confidence and control, we are thrilled to present Take Control of Your Financial Future. This webinar, which is free and open to the public, is presented by Linda Descano, CFA, President and CEO of Women & Co. Be sure to join us on Monday, May 20th from 1 – 2 pm EDT. Register here today http://www.mothersandmore.org/mothers_work/mothers_work_events.php#Control
Visit weekly to read more fabulous “purse-onal” stories.
Today marks Mother’s Day, and what better way to celebrate this most special day than announcing the winners of the first Mothers & More writing contest?
We invited mothers to share their “purse-onal” stories and we had an amazing response from women sharing stories of love, joy, hardship and triumph, too. Many thanks to everyone who took part in our contest!
We are elated to share the winners of the writing contest, especially on Mother’s Day.
Congratulations to our grand prize winner, Joanne Gepp, Member of Summit Greater Area, NY, Chapter 14!
Joanne’s beautiful story will be featured by Brain, Child: The Magazine for Thinking Mothers on their website. She will soon be carrying her fabulous new Rebecca Minkoff M.A.B. Mini Satchel, generously donated by Layla Grayce. And her writing career will receive a boon from a one-hour publishing consultation from Martha M. Bullen, owner of Bullen Publishing Services, and member of Chester County/Main Line, PA, Chapter156.
In the following weeks, we will be sharing the stories from all of our winners on this blog. Congratulations to every one of them!
2nd Place Sharon Berger, Member of Bergen County, NJ, Chapter 40
3rd Place Barb Richards, Unchaptered Member, Centennial, CO
4th Place Barbara Coleman, Atlanta, GA
5th Place Lisa Jorgensen, West Tooele, Utah
With great pleasure, we present Joanne’s story.
My mother died after years of illness, when I was in my twenties. I remember her life constricting around her, in ever decreasing circles as her disabilities overcame her. She moved from a house to an apartment to a nursing home. Her possessions were sold or bequeathed to me and my brothers as she progressed towards death. Then she died, quietly and peacefully, leaving me very few possessions to deal with.
So, my mother was buried, and I was left with her purse. We sat and stared at each other, the purse and I, throughout a rainy, wintery day. That purse embodied my mother. I just had to push it gently and I would get a delicate waft of ‘mum scent’. I did that for hours. Two days later I finally opened the purse and had to quickly walk away. I felt I was destroying the last shreds of my mother by going into her purse. It personified her; it was like the hard hug for the hurt feelings of childhood, the gentle backstroking for a broken-hearted teenager, the comfort for a young woman who had lost her mother.
It took me two years to finally empty her purse and pass it on. It was such a painful pleasure to delve into that purse, like a child with candy. I went there when I felt hurt and alone. I kept her wallet and her perfume as the final memories of the best unconditional love there is – the love of a mother.
It is over 25 years since my mother died and I still sniff that perfume bottle when I need her with me. My daughters are still very young, but I sometimes wonder how they will fare when I am gone, just leaving a purse behind, packed with powerful memories.
About the author:
Joanne is English, and 5 years ago moved to America with her husband Stuart and two young daughters (now aged 7 and 8 years). After a few months of desperation and loneliness she discovered Mothers & More and was happily engulfed into the warmth and friendship of her local chapter. She is busily living the life of a SAHM who volunteers for far too much in life. Joanne is co-leader of two Girl Scout troops, she is a Deacon at her Church, she has held various positions in her Mothers & More chapter and also helps out the PTA at her girls’ school when she can. She blatantly uses all these activities as an excuse to neglect her housework. Joanne also has three dysfunctional indoor cats who like to contribute to her insanity and the dust bunny collection. Joanne has many hobbies, most of which have been abandoned since motherhood, except for reading. Joanne’s love of writing evolved slowly, mainly evident in her letter writing. She has had a few articles printed in her old school magazine and a local publication. Finally, she started a blog entitled bratscatsandexpats.com – but got waylaid by ‘life, homework by proxy and excessive volunteering’. Entering and winning this competition is hopefully the kick in the backside that Joanne needs to further neglect her housework and take up her blog writing again.
We’d like to thank our terrific judges for lending their time and expertise to our contest. They are
- Susan Carraretto, co-founder of the website and community 5 Minutes for Mom
- Patty Chang Anker, author of the upcoming book Some Nerve: Lessons Learned While Becoming Brave, to be published by Riverhead Books (Penguin) in the fall, who blogs at Facing Forty Upside Down
- Jessica Rubin Cohen of the social good blog, Found the Marbles
- Ciaran Blumenfeld of Momfluential, who also blogs for Casa de Chaos
- Lori Botterman, Senior Editor for Tribune Media Group, who blogs at Who Has More Fun Than People?
Give yourself, or a mother you love, a Mother’s Day gift of a Mothers & More membership! For the month of May, save $5 on a new membership. Just enter save5inmay when you checkout. Follow this link and save — http://mothersandmore.3dcartstores.com/Memberships_c_1.html
In keeping with the Power of a Purse mission to help women to increase their financial awareness, confidence and control, we are thrilled to present Take Control of Your Financial Future. This webinar, which is free and open to the public, is presented by Linda Descano, CFA, President and CEO of Women & Co. Be sure to join us on Monday, May 20th from 1 – 2 pm EDT. Register here today http://www.mothersandmore.org/mothers_work/mothers_work_events.php#Control
Visit weekly to read more fabulous “purse-onal” stories.
Our chapter of Mothers & More has started our collection of purses and we’re off to a great start. This year we’re collecting purses as well as business attire and personal items, all to be donated to local organizations.
The personal items will go to a local food pantry, while the purses and business attire will go to a local non-profit that helps women in need find jobs and provides them with a complete outfit, as well as interview training and resume assistance.
I love how our chapter kicks off Power of a Purse with our pre-Mother’s Day event. It’s the perfect way to combine our celebration of motherhood, with that reminder of how we can help our fellow mothers in our community.
I’ve been reading/hearing about how other Mothers & More chapters across the country are taking part. The clever purse collections, the amazing community collaborations and the varied ways local chapters reinforce the messages of Power of a Purse and truly make a difference in their communities. You’ll be able to read more about the efforts here in this column in the coming weeks.
And don’t miss the chance to check out the Power of a Purse webinar Take Control of Your Financial Future, presented by Linda Descano of Women &Co. Monday, May 20. This webinar will be open to all Mothers & More members and the public. If you miss the live broadcast you’ll be able to pick it up after it’s recorded and posted on this website.
I’m pretty excited for the webinar. Financial health is important, after all a purse that looks great on the outside will be pretty useless if the wallet on the inside is strained, or worse yet, empty.
As I mentioned at the start of this week’s blog, my chapter just had its pre-Mother’s Day event, a lovely brunch. As I sat down, I couldn’t help but look around the room at all the moms, of all ages and stages in motherhood. We have new moms, moms of tots, moms of school-age children and moms with empty nests who dispel motherly advice by phone and email.
It never ceases to fascinate me on how I can walk in a room of a Mothers & More event and feel completely at ease talking to anyone, how the commonality of our motherhood provides that instant connection. And though no two paths to motherhood are ever the same, when you have that moment, that moment you realize you are not the only person going out of your mind dealing with a stubborn toddler you feel that instant connection.
And that is just the start of learning about something more.
Melissa Riske is a mother and freelance writer. She’s a member of Mothers & More DuPage Chapter No. 1 in DuPage Illinois.
Read more about the 2013 Power of A Purse campaign at http://mothersandmore.org/Power_of_a_Purse/Power_of_a_Purse_index.php
The start of my chapter’s Power of a Purse Collection for 2013.
Mothers & More • P.O. Box 31 • Elmhurst, Illinois 60126
(630) 941-3553 • Fax (630) 941-3551 • info@mothersandmore.org
Copyright ©2012 Mothers & More™. Mothers & More is a registered trademark.