This day always brings with it thoughts of my Mom, who passed away in 1998 at the age of 79, when I was 42 years old.
I'm so grateful she lived as long as she did, to witness the birth of Ben and Frankie. Her guidance through those pregnancies and those early childhood years was priceless.
God knows, we didn't always agree, but I learned to appreciate the incredible wisdom she had, in spite of not having much in the way of a formal education.
In fact, she only went to the third grade, barely able to read and write, but she continued to used the skills she learned, and they helped her to maintain a home and a family. Compared to my father, who was completely illiterate, she was in a much better place.
More than anything though, it was her uncanny, deep reservoir of wisdom, that elevated her to having a PhD in common sense.
She was a no-nonsense kind of woman. She didn't suffer fools lightly, but she had a great sense of humor.
She was a woman of her word. If she said she was going to do something, rest assured, it was going to happen.
We didn't have much growing up, but if there was someone in need, she found a way to help.
She taught my bothers and I to care for one another . . . to always look out for each other. We lived near my father's family and she watched how he and his siblings interacted with each other, and she made sure that we didn't grow up and follow in those footsteps.
She was an incredibly hard worker. She held two jobs the entire time I was in college, to support me as much as possible.
She understood how isolating growing up in that tiny town of China, Texas was going to be for me, so she compensated for my lack of physical adventure by having books, magazines and newspapers for me to read to travel the world through my imagination.
Although it was unheard of at the time, she allowed me to leave home after high school and attend college in Florida. Of course, I'll forever me grateful to Forrest for convincing her this was the right move. And oh, what a move it was! For the first time in my life, my world opened up. I had no idea what life was like outside of my small town until then. That was my first step toward freedom.
When people questioned her decision to let me go, she always answered with, "The same God who took care of her here, will take care of her wherever she is."
I remember this often as I travel all around.
I think she would be proud of where those country roads of China, Texas have taken me.
Not long ago Frankie said he can hear me talking in his head - responding to something, or commenting on something. That warmed my heart because I can still hear my Mom, after all these years. In a way, she's still directing my path.
I miss her.
If I grow to be half the woman/mother/person she was, I'll be grateful.
If your mother is still with you, take the time to appreciate her, to spend time with her, to learn from her.
You don't know just how blessed you are.
I'm so grateful she lived as long as she did, to witness the birth of Ben and Frankie. Her guidance through those pregnancies and those early childhood years was priceless.
God knows, we didn't always agree, but I learned to appreciate the incredible wisdom she had, in spite of not having much in the way of a formal education.
In fact, she only went to the third grade, barely able to read and write, but she continued to used the skills she learned, and they helped her to maintain a home and a family. Compared to my father, who was completely illiterate, she was in a much better place.
More than anything though, it was her uncanny, deep reservoir of wisdom, that elevated her to having a PhD in common sense.
She was a no-nonsense kind of woman. She didn't suffer fools lightly, but she had a great sense of humor.
She was a woman of her word. If she said she was going to do something, rest assured, it was going to happen.
We didn't have much growing up, but if there was someone in need, she found a way to help.
She taught my bothers and I to care for one another . . . to always look out for each other. We lived near my father's family and she watched how he and his siblings interacted with each other, and she made sure that we didn't grow up and follow in those footsteps.
She was an incredibly hard worker. She held two jobs the entire time I was in college, to support me as much as possible.
She understood how isolating growing up in that tiny town of China, Texas was going to be for me, so she compensated for my lack of physical adventure by having books, magazines and newspapers for me to read to travel the world through my imagination.
Although it was unheard of at the time, she allowed me to leave home after high school and attend college in Florida. Of course, I'll forever me grateful to Forrest for convincing her this was the right move. And oh, what a move it was! For the first time in my life, my world opened up. I had no idea what life was like outside of my small town until then. That was my first step toward freedom.
When people questioned her decision to let me go, she always answered with, "The same God who took care of her here, will take care of her wherever she is."
I remember this often as I travel all around.
I think she would be proud of where those country roads of China, Texas have taken me.
Not long ago Frankie said he can hear me talking in his head - responding to something, or commenting on something. That warmed my heart because I can still hear my Mom, after all these years. In a way, she's still directing my path.
I miss her.
If I grow to be half the woman/mother/person she was, I'll be grateful.
If your mother is still with you, take the time to appreciate her, to spend time with her, to learn from her.
You don't know just how blessed you are.
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