I woke up with a start this morning. My absolute truth always comes to me in the wee hours of the morning when I am somewhere between sleep and consciousness. But when there is something I am supposed to remember, its as though a voice in my head awakens me and tells me what I need to know. This morning I realized it was May 1st. Now to some it means nothing but to me it means so much. Thank you, little voice.

When my boys were young enough that I used to walk them up the hill to catch the school bus one morning stands out in my mind. It was probably fifteen years ago or so and it was May 1st. I entertained them with stories from my childhood in Iowa when we would celebrate May Day by giving May baskets to our friends. It was a tradition to deliver the little Dixie Cups filled with candy corn, popcorn, mints and maybe a flower or two to the doorstep of a friend then ring the doorbell and take off running before you were discovered. They loved hearing about the candy and flowers but were quickly on to other matters as they approached their friends.

That day I decided I would surprise them with May baskets of their own. I constructed them similarly to the ones I used to make but had to add a Snickers or two. I planned that I would wait until they were home from school and sneak out the back door, deliver the goodies and ring the doorbell. Time got away from me and I was preoccupied doing something else when the doorbell rang. Wondering who might be visiting, I opened the front door and there on the stoop were freshly picked flowers. I could hear some giggles from behind the tree. They had really listened to my story! And they were so happy to be able to surprise me. I waited until backpacks were emptied and things settled down, I quietly sneaked out and put their baskets in front of the door and rang the doorbell. Laughter ensued. That was the first of many May Day celebrations to follow, just between a mom and her kids.

I managed to sneak delivery of May baskets to my son in college via his girlfriend. He is now a senior and this year May 1st came before I was ready. But thanks to that little voice in my head and modern day technology, I text-messaged a virtual basket full of love and hugs and kisses……….just a different way, this May Day.