A Mother Loved
Oh, how gorgeous a morning it was Thursday, November 21, 2013. I can remember so vividly the warmth & beauty of the sun & the coolness of the air. This was to be a typical day of working at the office & also taking my mother to a couple of doctors’ appointments. The first appointment for surgery on an eye to delay glaucoma. The second appointment, in my thoughts - a normal, routine, minor surgery to repair a catheter for dialysis. The eye surgery was completed & we rushed to the next appointment for the catheter replacement. As we rode we brainstormed & laughed during our drive, as to the dinner we'd prepare once we arrived home in the evening. Because the surgery was a basic, typical surgery, so I thought, I helped momma change for the procedure & ran back to the office for a meeting. In as much time as it would take someone to cook a basic meal for the family or watch their favorite television episode my life changed forever. In forty five minutes, I'd held my last conversation with the woman that gave birth to me. This woman was grandmother, mother in law, beloved daughter & the friend everybody would've wished for. The woman that boiled over with happiness proud that I was her daughter….. made her transition. My mother had many challenges in her life, but she still had a joy that no woman or man could steal from her. She knew God's love & dedicated her time & energy spreading love to family, friends & even strangers. I've experienced hurt, disappointment & betrayal but I do not believe any of those feelings can compare to the sting I feel from the death of my mother. The feeling is an emptiness that sometimes is so overwhelming the tears continuously pour. I long to hear her voice & I miss her laughter. And still today, I can sometimes hear her slippers on the hardwood floor heading to the kitchen. In every situation there are lessons that help to mold & transform us for our future. I've had time to sit & reflect on memories & process this whole adjustment in my world. Happiness, for me, is truly the memories that we create with those we love. My mom loved the simple things in life like her fuzzy green gloves, those old black/white Western TV shows & Hershey's chocolate bars. We often teased her because she'd wear those gloves during the summertime when the temperatures were well above 80 degrees. Even in the busyness of my daily life, I’m determined to create moments to carry on my mom’s legacy of sharing love. Love to my family, friends & even those encounters with perfect strangers have been different. I’ll be sure to share the message with others to reach out to their family & friends more than usual because none of us know the exact day, hour or second our voices will be silenced. - LizM.