I have also heard stories about the ‘sour mother-in-law’ and the ‘mother-in-law who intrudes into her child’s family.’ My mother told me from a young age to make sure I learned everything about managing a household, so that my mother-in-law would have nothing to criticize me for.I felt a heavy weight on my shoulders regarding this issue, and not once did I think that I would end up being the daughter-in-law of a wonderful woman with whom I would be lifelong friends..
However, that is exactly what happened.From that evening in May when Florin took me to meet his parents, I sensed that she would be my mother-in-law and that I would be her third child.While I was entertaining these fantasies, Florin hadn’t even proposed to me yet!
There are good mothers-in-law, you know! There are women who know how to graciously step back from being the ‘number one woman in their son’s life,’ allowing him to do what he knows best in his new family.If they can help, they do; if not, they carry on with their own lives and don’t pry.One such woman is Nicoleta, my mother-in-law, now 78 years old.She is a gem of a person and my best friend.
We met one evening in May
Oh, the nerves I had when I first arrived at my mother-in-law’s house! All the legends played in my mind, and I feared I would be scrutinized and criticized to the core.Florin felt confident that this meeting would go well; he probably already knew that we had a lot in common.So, shortly after we became a couple, he said to me, ‘Come meet my mom!’ How I wished I could postpone that moment 22 years ago! And now I visit her ten times more often than her own son does! Somehow, I had created the illusion that after this meeting, that would be it—I would spend a few more days with him, and then we would each go our separate ways.
I made a big sign of the cross and went in.She was waiting for me.It seems that the first ‘data’ in my ‘CV’ had qualified me for this initial meeting: I was a teacher at the time, my father was a priest, my mother a teacher, and I came from reliable rural roots.I had worked with Florin for over a year; we were friends first and then became lovers! Yes, that’s how it was back in my day—something essential had to ‘recommend’ you, didn’t it?
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