Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Mom

Six years ago late tonight my mom passed away. In what was the most surreal time of my life, I watched my mom leave this world. The experience still haunts me.

What I have learned since then is that death comes in many ways, and no one has the same experience. Since Mom was lucid until the end, we didn't see it coming. A nurse's aid who came to the house that day said it would happen within 12 hours . . . but I am not sure any of us believed her. The aide was very young . . . and Mom certainly seemed all right. But she was right - Mom was gone within about 11 hours.

One thing about mothers . . . they worry. After Kenneth was born, Mom told me, "Once a mother, always a worry." And she worried about us until she passed. At 4 a.m., six years ago this morning, Mom needed something, and we were out of it. I suggested that Isabel, the home health nurse, and I go to Wal Mart. The only way Mom would let us go was if we would take a ball bat with us in case we were attacked. So Isabel, the ball bat, and I got into the car and headed to Wal Mart. We were fine, of course, but that's not the point. Mom was worried about us . . . until she died.

Mom loved her family. She loved her husband, she loved her kids and she loved her grandkids. I have missed her every day she has been gone. Thanks, Mom, for all you did for me and for my family. And thanks for worrying about me.

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