The California Hat

It was obvious to all who knew her that she was a hat-lover. Perhaps few knew of her self-respect and refusal to be a burden. Unless you knew her or cared to understand her true feelings, You missed the best part of a life filled with 'lessons of life'. Unlike so many 'mother-in-law stories', mine was different. My dear mother-in-law loved, respected, and believed in me. I became convinced that there was so much more than meets the eye. She travelled across the country to visit a few years before she passed. When she returned home, I fully realized that she was an 'I Can Do this', 'kind of lady'. But it was during a shopping experience at Macy's or Mervyns that I was introduced to one lasting memory that I have treasured for some twenty years. I insisted that my mother-in law pick the hat of her choice at our expense. She took her time browsing the hats and spotted one she really liked. However, she picked with us in mind, refusing to pick the hat that she really loved. I knew her well enough to know that the hat she picked was not the one she wanted. I briefly quizzed her about the hat she picked, insisting that it was not the one she loved. Only after she was convinced that I was very insistent of her getting her heart's desired hat did she reach back for the hat that became known in the family as "The California Hat'. 032422PS