This past Mother's Day was a particularly hard one for me. I felt the grief and loss of my mother more intensely than in past years. It didn't help that her birthday was one day before Mother's Day.
When I was growing up, my parents were lucky enough to travel all over the world. For each trip, my mother would bring me back a doll with gorgeous costumes native to whichever country she had been to. She gave me dolls from Poland, Israel, Yugoslavia, Spain, Portugal, Italy, China, and many more. My mother loved fashion, and I, too, quickly fell for the luxurious clothing, hats, parasols, and other accessories on those dolls.
My mom eventually hired an architect to build an array of shelves in my room with sliding glass doors to display all my dolls. The dolls were very fragile, especially the ones with porcelain faces and delicate clothing. When I was really little, I was not even allowed to play with them!
My mom's love of dolls quickly became my own, and it has followed me into adulthood. In fact, during the pandemic, I decided to expand my collection of rare, antique dolls.
Doll collecting does more than remind me of the magical childhood I was given. I cherish the artistry that went into making these dolls, as well as their historical value. The century and country in which they were made, the materials that were used, and the style of the clothing all make for a fascinating window into worlds that are both foreign and familiar. After all, what child doesn't love to pretend?
A few days before Mother's Day, this year, my son was exploring the many boxes we've stored in our basement from my parent's Connecticut home. He noticed several boxes that were marked, "Dolls."
My excitement mounted as I carefully opened each box and unwrapped the exquisite dolls my mother had so painstakingly selected for me. As I set the dolls out for display on my shelves and mantelpiece, I was overwhelmed with emotion. All I could think about was how much my mother loved me.
These dolls are my windows—to children everywhere, and to the mother whose love is always with me.
