Searching for Gravitas

My mother and I went shopping yesterday. Lots of mothers and daughters do that all the time, right? Not this pair. My mother doesn't really enjoy shopping. But, every now and then, it has to be done. We strategically  began with breakfast at Village Bakery, making it infinitely more palatable for Mom. She's almost always up for a breakfast out.


An omelet and three half-eaten pastries later we were on our way, doggie bag in hand, to a department store nearby.  We had done our best, and saved the rest to take home, my mother's motto being "No pastry left behind".

Seven months ago we had been sitting in the doctor's office facing her diagnosis of breast cancer. Imagining this scene would have been a stretch for both of us. At the time, I don't think we dared look ahead too far. But, here we were!

We scanned the aisles of Kohl's and she rejected one sweater on these grounds,"I want something with more gravitas than that." Gravitas can be defined as a quality of substance or depth of personality. Depth, substance. Everyone who knows my mother would agree she possesses both. She is Judi Dench, but nicely. Or perhaps Angela Lansbury with a fiercely spiritual side. And not every article of clothing is befitting for a woman of mature years. It might be either too frilly, too pale a color, or not enough hardware on it. Yes, my mother likes hardware. But hardware with the kind of  elegance that glitters, dazzles, blinds, maims...well you get the idea. The more bling, the better. We trolled the clearance jewelry as well, and again, gravitas was the deciding factor along with glitz and glam.Half price didn't hurt either.

Delightedly she found a bevy of sweaters and tops she could shine through the holidays with, as well as a bejeweled necklace that passed the test.

I couldn't have been happier!