Tennessee Williams: Love Your Mother

Rose, Edwina, and Thomas Lanier Williams

Tennessee Williams

In Conversation with James Grissom

New Orleans

1982

Do this for yourself and for your mother: Dance with her; place your hand on the small of her back and take her shopping and to dinner; buy her a perfume that makes her feel young and sweet; laugh away an afternoon with her. Hug her and love her before you must feed and bathe her, or tell her what day it is or what her name is or who you are. Try very hard to need your mother only for the woman who gave birth to you and loved you and made you what you are. Ask for nothing but her time and her patience.

Love your mother. Have the good times.

I had the good times.