The Lost Art of Being a Lady

     My mom was recently killed in a car accident.   As a result, my sisters and I faced the difficult task of going through her belongings.  Mom lived a simple life, so there wasn't a lot of fancy or extravagant things to go through, mostly clothes, a few nick-knacks and a little jewelry.   But in those humble belongings, I found a piece of mother that will stay with me the rest of my life.
     Tucked away in a dresser drawer was Mom's stack of ladies cotton handkerchiefs.  She never went anywhere without one of these hankies in her purse or pocket.   I don't think I ever saw her without one.  And now, you will always find a cotton hanky in my purse. 
     Back in the day, as we all like to say, a lady would never be caught without a beautiful cotton hanky on her person.  Whether it was tucked in her belt, pocket or in her purse, it was always close at hand...ready to dry a tear, or to catch the eye of a nearby gentleman when it was dropped on the floor.  After all, how many gentlemen would stop to pick up a paper tissue?
     In today's environment, being a lady has almost become a 4-letter word; what with feminists movements and independent thinking, etc.  I'm not saying that's all bad.  We certainly had a lot of room for improvement.  But in the process of becoming equal with the male species, have we also lost much of our femininity?  Have we become so tough and independent that we have totally forgotten how to be a lady?  I say let's find a happy medium and be strong and independent, without giving up the basic traits of being a lady. 
     Carrying a cotton hanky in my purse may seem like a trivial thing to most people, but to me, it's my link to the past.  It's a piece of my mom that I will carry with me always...a reminder of days gone by... memories of a special lady...and hope for the future because of the lessons she taught.  Thanks Mom.

Until next time...
That's the view through my eyes.
Kat