My Mum and I spent this Christmas together. Just the two of us. On Christmas morning she presented me with a small stocking filled with my childhood favorites, to which she had added a small bright red pot housing a plastic sunflower with a sweet smiling face, knowing full well I’m not one for such nick knacks.

Each morning Mum checked to ensure the flower was fulfilling her solar powered swaying duties on the balcony railing and reported in accordingly, a sheepish grin on her face for I know she was reading my mind…just another useless piece of clutter, geez! And every day we sat on the balcony sipping tea, gossiping, laughing, debating and generally reveling in the precious time we had together as ‘Lizzie’ the benignly smiling sunflower looked on.

Farewelled Mum today and returned home with a heavy sadness for she lives so far away and visiting requires so much more than a packed lunch. There, swaying gaily on the balcony railing sat the smiling sunflower. I smiled right back for here was the essence of my Mum, right here in my home. A woman brilliant and capable and with the enviable ability to find the time to stop and enjoy the simple pleasure a little solar powered smiling flower can provide. Lizzie, by the way, just earned her permanent residency in my home. Oh dear!

Love you Mum.