dear E,
Visiting the cathedral in Siena (that gem of a town nestled in Tuscan hill country), I kept returning to admire the pinnacle decoration on the facade with its marble putti and golden mosaic. The Coronation of the Virgin. Hundreds of meters above me the gigantic image glowed in the pale winter sun, a neon-like mirage flashing.
Later, rounding a corner on my way to dinner, I spotted this small devotional shrine on the side of an apartment building. (I like the little electric candle with the scallop shade behind, don’t you?)
What a gentle place that proudly honors mothers! The thought popped into my head as I stood on the cobblestones, my telephoto lens focusing, my finger clicking. I knew this would appeal to you.
warmly,
N
Postcards from Italy---Natalia Sarkissian 
There are different cultural roles for mothers. But who is the woman in the role? Who was Maria? I wonder whether she liked cherries or the smell of clean clothes? We know so little about the person in the role.