So I got to thinking--why is it always the mom?
During Christmas, it's comes in the form of "Christmas Shoes"--you know where the grouchy guy is standing in line in front of the boy who can't afford to buy shoes for his dying mom? The first time I heard it, and probably more, it made me cry. At the beginning of each Christmas season, I still let myself get choked up at least once. But seriously--it is so obviously designed to jerk my heartstrings that I start blocking it after a while.
Take "Holes in the Floor of Heaven"--the mom dies and it rains on the daughter's wedding so she knows her mom loves her.
Finding Nemo--my kids won't watch it because the mom dies.
Perhaps the most disturbing Christmas special my kids have watched: Nestor the Long Eared Christmas Donkey. Here's the premise from Amazon.com: "Stable animals tease Nestor incessantly for his long appendages until, finally, he is cast out of the barn into the winter cold. Snow and ice bring about even greater calamity for Nestor until he receives a dose of divine goodness." The "greater calamity" they talk about was when Nestor and his mother (who went with him) tried to take refuge in a snow bank. Nestor's mother covers him while he sleeps, and when he wakes up, she's dead. Done in. Expired. Kicked the bucket. Right on top of him. And Mason cried for the entire rest of the movie, in spite of the fact that Nestor ends up carrying Mary to Bethlehem. That in no way made up for the dead mom.
And lets not forget the all-time classic Mormon song that started it all for me: "I'll Build You a Rainbow". I remember when I was a teenager that I loved, loved this song. I wanted to learn guitar just so I could play it. If you've never heard it, YouTube offers two versions: there's a "updated" Hawaiian version http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDYB26bxDXE&feature=related, and a satirically-acted version with the original lyrics http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfwDyVNwbaA&feature=related . I always thought I was going to be just like that mom--the one who is the best soccer player on the block, etc. But then look where it got her--she died.
Does no one care if the dad dies? Or can we only get emotional about dads when they're in songs involving giving away a bride at a wedding or fighting in a war?
The fact is, even though I try to resist some times, I get sucked into all of those songs and movies. And in the end, it reminds of just how lucky I am to be a mom. Especially an alive one.
6 comments:
Truth be told, a dead dad just doesn't carry any emotional punch. I mean in this day and age of absentee fathers, and dad's who work 24/7 who's going to care? Granted our families have different stories/dads, but hollywood knows where it's bread is buttered. :)
I hate/love all that crap too. And I'll never forget beaches when friend and mother dies and Denise Bebe made loud, gulping crying noises all the way through because of her mama. Wow.
I loved that song as a teenager too. I think I heard it at a Youth Conference or something. It's funny how even when you haven't heard a song in 20 years you can still remember the lyrics as soon as you hear it.
On my mission I found a film strip of "I'll Build You a Rainbow", there wasn't any sound but I knew exactly what the story was and cried still the same.
I just found your blog and have been loving catching up. Your family pictures are amazing. I have been hesitant to take pictures of just my two kids. Chloe is adorable, too. I love her pictures. Merry Christmas!
I'm still laughing about Amazon.com's description of Nestor the Long Eared Christmas Donkey. Stable animals tease Nestor "incessantly" for his long apendages? Hilarious - that is, I guess, until his mom dies.
I've almost recovered from "Be With You"...but it was worth it.
Ah, "Be With You." Amy, I still get a little choked up just thinking about that movie! Beautiful, yes, but soo sad. You are right - It is always the mom, isn't it? I cannot listen to "I'll Build You A Rainbow." It kills me. And that "Holes in Floor of Heaven" is an instant tear-jerker, along with the Christmas shoes song. The mom shouldn't die in Nemo (she doesn't have to. The story could still work if she lived and just stayed behind while Nemo's dad went and searched for him), and what's up with Nestor? ISn't life bad enough for donkeys. Why,oh why, must it always be the mom?! You have posed a most thought-provoking question...
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