My mother turned 91 yesterday.
Now, most of you know that I adore women – all women – and my mother may just be the reason why.
She is dignified, elegant, cultured, beautiful, extremely well bred, an accomplished classical pianist and has a degree, but has dedicated her entire life to her family and others. And I mean entire. She has never smoked cigarettes or drunk alcohol, and I have NEVER heard her raise her voice, despite the fact that I was just one of her children who gave her every reason to. She imbued in me a deep sense of humility and a great love for animals. She bought me musical equipment, tuned my guitars and encouraged every desperately poor piece of music I ever produced, probably against her better judgment, but because she would not hurt me. She bought me fine clothes when she couldn’t afford it and offered me even finer advice when I wouldn’t hear it. All of which eventually came home to roost. She instilled in me a sense that everyone on Earth is worthy, beautiful and deserving of attention until they prove otherwise. She cast her beautiful smile upon EVERYBODY; looked them directly in the eye, called them “sweetie” and ushered them into her home for tea and cake no matter what the time or circumstances. She never once complained about her health or moaned about how she was feeling. If she was sick, she quietly put herself to bed. She taught me the true meaning of the word “selflessness” and bent over backwards to accommodate all around her at all times.
I suspect that she suffered in silence, a lot. Particularly in the days when she thought there was not enough to go around for her four children. Her light would often be on in the early hours of the morning because she was “reading”. I wonder. But we never went without.
Have I ben a worthy son in return? I doubt it, but I’m still trying.

As I stumble into the later years of my life I realize that my dear mum has been the greatest and most constant guiding light through my many days on this tricky planet. And I have also learned from her the power that the female of the human species carries.

As a result I I automatically feel the “glow” from EVERY woman I ever encounter. In my mind my mother represents them all. And they represent her.

So here’s a light little ditty (for a change!) dedicated to all the women I have ever met, and all those I may still meet. But especially to my current females friends. I have often been told that a man cannot have female friends, to which I offer a nice round “bullshit!”