Our mother, our queen
Some birthday prose for my/our mom, Connie
Queen of hearts: a little girl in pony tails in the school play in Harvey, North Dakota in a homemade costume, having learned the lines in record time in your role as the Queen of Hearts in Alice in Wonderland, getting your first taste of applause and success.
Queen of the rodeo: a teenager in denim and boots breaking hearts and barrel racing records.
Queen of pop music fandom: your love of Wham and Queen instilled in us a deep appreciation for pop music and the joy found in singing at the top of our lungs in a car with the windows down, driving for the fun of it.
Queen on the corporate board room: busting through ceilings and professional limits while looking SHARP AS SHIT in power suits, perms, and heels, Dr. Pate. You paved the way for so many women who, because of your bold moves, could enter rooms not previously available to us.
Queen on the cleaning supplies: a dedicated devotee of clean floors, folded laundry, and tidy cabinets/closets. We do our best to live up to you standards, mom, we do our best :-)
Queen of karaoke: scene is a living room of an beautiful home in Newport, Rhode Island, windows open, on a New England summer morning surrounded by your grandkids belting Queen songs through the karaoke mic. You taught them to love the feeling that good pop music gives us, we are all better off for this experience.
Queen of pie: strawberry rhubarb FOREVER. Eaten properly with spoons, starting from the middle of the pie tin working your way towards the crust. Eaten all in one sitting with people that you love.
Queen of books: showing us early in our lives that the company of written words often are more satisfying than the company of mediocre conversation with humans.
Queen of OUR hearts: your family, who simply put, cannot imagine a day, a life, a world without your bright light showing us the way.
We love you, Connie Marie Pate. Happy birthday!!!!!!
I invite you to listen to this playlist while dancing in your kitchen, driving in your car, in the shower. The only requirement is that you SING OUT LOUD WITH WILD ABANDON, like our mom/Connie would want you to.
