This little picture shows my mother. She was born in 1937 so this must have been right after World War II when she was 9 or 10 years old. My mother's name was Cornelia and she was a lovely, lovely mother. This picture moves me beyond words. So much of the grown-up Cornelia that I knew is already in this little girl... My mother, or mamma as I used to call her, always was pleasant to people - I seldom witnessed her getting cross with someone. She also was very orderly and had a great sense of responsibility.Mamma always liked to dress well... and so did little Cornelia, obviously...
What makes this picture so very moving, is that it doesn't show all there is, just what little Cornelia wants to show to us - a pleasant picture. Her childhood was not at all a happy one. Her parents fought like cat and dog, her mother had no sense of responsibility at all and didn't look after the household well, neglecting her little daughter. At the age of 8 my mother helped to clean the house, got all the groceries, made sure unpaid bills with local shop owners got paid and often ate her 'dinner' alone.
It was not until she was on her death bed in November of 2004, that she told me in detail about her youth, finally showing all the supressed emotions which aren't visible in this picture, but obviously were there... Not pleasant, but o so beautiful. It made me realize even stronger what a fantastic mother she was. And still is... someone isn't dead until they are forgotten.
I'm smiling at you, little Cornelia - I love you mom!
