I was blessed for 58 years with a wonderful mother. I truly believe she loved me with all her heart. She and I had our "moments" as all mothers and daughters do, but I can honestly say that I never doubted her love and devotion for a minute.
On October 13, she will have been gone for three years and there isn't a day that passes that I don't think about her and wish that she were here with us.
Once she said to me that she missed her own Mother more than she ever realized that she would, and that many times she actually went to the phone to call her to tell something and then the reality of her absence would sink ever deeper into her heart. From the minute Mother passed from this life to Heaven, I understood that feeling. Just as her presence changed me and helped mold me, her absence changed something inside me forever.
The flowers on the left were in her memory at my church Sunday. They were so beautiful and I think she would have liked the arrangement very much. I'd like to thank my friend and florist, Mary for arranging them exactly as I requested.
The picture on the right is one some of you have seen before. It was taken in 1956. I was the flower girl in the wedding of my mother's best friend, Peggy. It was a beautiful Christmas wedding, everyone was in white with sparkly silver baskets of poinsettias. I can still visualize the scene. Peggy's daughter, Patti, was my Jr. Bridesmaid when I married. When Mother was diagnosed with colon cancer, Peggy drove to see her and spend the night to give us a little break away from the hospital. Those visits meant so much to my mother. They laughed and talked and Mother said she felt better just having Peggy near. Friends are such a balm to the soul at a time of dire distress. Mother lived 2 1/2 months after her diagnosis and Peggy had a long scheduled hospital procedure the day of Mother's funeral...but when we got to the cemetery after a long ride from Jackson, Ms. there she was. Peggy literally got up off that hospital table and came to honor my mother! What a lady! My mother always did have good taste in friends.
I would like to publicly thank all the women in my life...mothers of my childhood friends, church "mamas", circle friends, student friends who have become young women friends, co-worker friends and just plain everyday friends...both young and old. I love you all and I hope you have been blessed with a mother like mine... but if you weren't, then be a mama to somebody else just like mine. Blessed be the tie that binds.... Thank you, Lord, for giving me those precious years with my mother.
12 comments:
Angela, this is beautiful. It brought tears to my eyes. I thought of my sweet, dear mother and how glad I am that we were so close the last ten years of her life. And what an honor it was for her to live next door to me and for me to be her caregiver the last year of her life! Thank you.
A beautiful tribute to a beautiful lady -- and her friend Peggy.
Thank you, Angela, for the beautiful tribute to your mom and her best friend, Peggy...my mom. They were the first BFF's that I ever knew. Their special friendship was a role model for me as I grew up. I now understand the true unconditional love of mothers, daughters, and best friends. I am so blessed to still have my mom Peggy. We will love and miss your mom always.
This is beautiful. She had to have been a very special mother to inspire a tribute like this. I'm so glad that you had her for 58 years.
love you!
I feel like I have met her...what a special lady! Thanks for reminding me of how wonderful my mother is. I hope to be like her!
Thank each and every one of you who said such kind things about my mom. It truly does mean so much to me and my family. Enjoy the times you have with family. Don't let the little things get in the way of the "bigger" things.
What an awesome post, Angela! The same is true for my dad who died in 2006. You inspire me to make the most of the time I have left with my mom. Love the flowers you shared!
Miss Anne was one of the most gracious, sweetest ladies ever! All of her children inherited those wonderful qualities, too. Thinking of you all!
This is so beautiful and deserving of a true Southern lady. Thanks be to God for giving us our wonderful Mothers--you and I were so richly blessed!!
I can definitely relate to this post. I lost my mother to a car accident. She lived five weeks. Our family was surrounded by friends from the past and present. We even made new friends. Sixteen years later I still miss her so much. My sister and I often mention we'd like to call 1-800-HEAVEN and talk with her. At times I wonder what she would think of our family now. My dad calls my sister and me "Lucy and Ethel" in the kitchen. We haven't had a good holiday meal since 1994. I do love the flowers. I thought maybe you had arranged them yourself. Your mother would be proud.
Thank you, Anonymous. I think your mother would be so happy to see how you have "turned out". And I did love those flowers, too.
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