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What do you wish you'd inherited from your mother?

(183 Posts)
LaraGransnet (GNHQ) Tue 26-Mar-19 14:47:22

We were talking about Mother's Day and thinking about the things we really wish we'd inherited from them. For me, it would have to be my mum's singing voice - I can't hold a note, yet she can make a song out of the week's shopping list and sound like she should be on stage. What do you wish you'd inherited from your mum?

breeze Thu 28-Mar-19 11:47:47

Sadly, I inherited her BRCA2 gene. I wish I could remember her but I can't. I was 8 when she died at just 42. Fortunately for me, treatment has moved on so I'm still just about here. Anyway, only the good die young so I should be around for a very long time grin

People have said she had a lovely personality. And she is lovely to look at in photographs. Just wish I could remember her voice.

Guineagirl Thu 28-Mar-19 11:49:26

Nothing. I loved my Mam sadly she has now died but I know now that I have my own adult daughter who has left home she said somethings to me that were hurtful and I would never say to my daughter, I do everything opposite to my Mam with my daughter and we have a great bond.

Eskay10 Thu 28-Mar-19 11:54:51

Her bravery, her strength and her vitality. Unfortunately she was ill in her late 50s and died at 65. I’ve overtaken that age now and am missing a role model. I still think of her every day. Her motto was “if you’ve got your health you are able to work, and you are a millionaire”.

Coconut Thu 28-Mar-19 12:00:03

Sadly like others, I don’t want to be anything like my Mum.... critical of everyone, controlling, opinionated, dictatorial, knows everything, is always right.... and what’s even more tragic tho, is that she truly believes that all she ever doesn’t is want to help others, but she never knows where helping ends and interfering and upsetting others kicks in.

sarahellenwhitney Thu 28-Mar-19 12:08:09

The inheritance from my mother for who the years were kind and never seemed to age, is when asked to give my age ' for varying factors' is 'are you really ? you don't look it'.
How am I supposed to 'look it 'hmm?.

Theoddbird Thu 28-Mar-19 12:51:07

Nothing....

Kacee Thu 28-Mar-19 12:57:22

Everything. I loved her so much and miss her everyday

rosecarmel Thu 28-Mar-19 13:09:01

Transportation .. When mum sees a thing, be it a striped store awning, basket of fruit or group of trees she feels some affinity with she is transported back to memories of her distant past and begins to spin a story from what she recalls- Ive always enjoyed this about her, but it wasn't until this morning that I had considered that at the core of each tale might be the true untold story, one of sadness- And that these tales she tells act as a cushion between her and some long ago hurt - I'm aware of the sad happenings throughout her life, she is approaching 100, and has seen and experienced remarkable things as well - But I had never put 2 and 2 together before this morning, never realized that from early on in her life she might have had PTSD and developed a way to cope with it - I've a favorite photo of her in grade 1, and even then her eyes looked old, sad and get clear and wise- And while I think she passed different illnesses on to me .. I'm beginning to realize just how much we are alike ..

lincolnimp Thu 28-Mar-19 13:10:35

Her long slender fingers and beautiful nails.
I inherited my father's square hands and equally square nails

GreenGran78 Thu 28-Mar-19 13:12:17

rosecarmel perhaps, like my mother, the war affected her in a bad way? It's sad that we usually are too late in realizing that we needed to talk more, and find out about our parents' histories.

cassandra264 Thu 28-Mar-19 13:12:53

My outdoors-loving mother and my dear grandmother were both brilliant at creating gardens wherever they lived. I am not - but went to classes later in life in order to be able to learn to make my own outside space more beautiful......

I wish I had inherited their engagement rings, which they wore all the time during their lifetimes. As mementoes - not for their financial value.My poisonous sister in law, whose shopaholic tendencies had always been a cross for my brother to bear, stole them ( together with other items left to me in my mother's will) after my mother's death. SIL sold the lot. I was advised by the family solicitor that I could make this a matter for the police. However, I did not want to make trouble for my brother. Also, my DH was in hospital at the time and I had more important things to worry about sad

olliebeak Thu 28-Mar-19 13:33:29

My mother had very lovely feet. Neat size 5's and goood shaped toes.

I'm a size 9 - broad fitting - large and bent big toes, a lump on the outside that looks like a bunion - but isn't, and curled-under toes .......................... I certainly got a raw deal :-(.

marpau Thu 28-Mar-19 13:48:17

Nothing

Carolpaint Thu 28-Mar-19 14:16:38

Her capacity of 'Denial', she is the perfect mother of the Kray's. Embezzle the bank - not my boy. Spite to children - only joking. Tightfistedness - he is being careful. Being gay that is fun living in spite of being HIV positive. Is it a generational thing?

Rosiebee Thu 28-Mar-19 14:17:31

Her light touch with pastry making, especially her apple pie. I love cooking but could never make or eat an apple pie because it will never be like mum's.

elfies Thu 28-Mar-19 14:17:48

A kind word before she died

Blondiescot Thu 28-Mar-19 14:41:25

elfies...you and me both. I can't remember my mother ever saying anything good about me...

elfies Thu 28-Mar-19 15:02:16

Thank you Blondiescot , mine told me just before she died that she'd never liked me anyway, and years later its always at the back of my mind

cupcake1 Thu 28-Mar-19 15:03:31

Her gentle and kind nature which I took for granted and abused many times. She died far to young and I have to live with the guilt. It’s been 34 years since her death and I still miss her dearly. Her knitting skills were amazing she would knit items for a local wool shop to earn ‘pocket money’ whilst teaching me as well, not that I was anywhere near as good as her. Bless her flowers

Foxyferret Thu 28-Mar-19 15:15:54

My mom did lovely embroidery, cushions, runners etc. It was so neat the back looked as nice as the front. She still has the silks but at 93 she cannot see so well now. I loved the name of the stitches, my favourite being lazy daisy.

breeze Thu 28-Mar-19 15:27:31

Really sad to read so many posters had awful relationships with their mothers. I grew up so envious of friends who had mums. It's tragic how many of you are traumatised by toxic relationships and mothers who said or did such awful things to you. A mother should be your closest ally and protector.

flowers to all of you who don't have happy memories/relationships.

maryhoffman37 Thu 28-Mar-19 15:39:45

Her light hand with pastry.

Suebcrafty Thu 28-Mar-19 15:45:19

My mums cooking and baking skills which unfortunately passed me by,my brother has her cooking skills and is a competent chef, my mum could make delicious meals and made cakes for everyone including incredible wedding cakes!

Glammy57 Thu 28-Mar-19 16:16:42

My first post.

Absolutely nothing.

Happysexagenarian Thu 28-Mar-19 16:32:41

I never knew my natural mother, she died when I was born. But I know she was a talented artist, I've seen some of her artwork, so I wish I had inherited her skills. I do try, and I really enjoy arts and crafts, but I'm nowhere near as talented as she was.