mom

A few days ago many families and individuals celebrated the second Sunday in May honoring Mother’s Day (also the third-largest card-sending holiday in the U.S. - according to Hallmark, source).

While walking the perimeter of a rural cemetery for bottles, cans, plastic bags, and other loose debris, I happened to notice that someone else, instead of a card, must have visited their mom this past Sunday and left her a decorative balloon (balloons made from polyester film coated with foil). Some days later, winds had blown it to a corner, against a chain-linked fence, amidst a pile of leaves.

I decided to leave this still-inflated message near wherever she might be. The heartfelt sentiment is timeless.

But then again, litter can be timeless too. These decorations aren’t biodegradable and there is no recent record of a municipal or organized city-led cleanup for this specific site. In many rural areas, cemetery preservation efforts are primarily driven by local heritage groups… or yours truly (and I will return soon).

ObLITTERating is always an opportunity to reflect and this was a sentimental moment. As a mother and daughter, I wanted to remember.

To all the wonderful moms out there, thank you!

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