I almost lost my mother recently. After being rushed to the hospital, she was diagnosed with a stroke. Mom’s been battling her illnesses for many years, and little by little its been taking a toll on her body. My mom is a fighter and thank God for it, as she is slowly pulling through this last bombardment to her body. We take so much in life for granted. What if mom didn’t survive this incident?
Why do we wait when a person is sick or no longer with us, to say how we really feel about them? Sure, we tell them that we love them every now and then, and we think that’s enough expressions of love. When they are no longer here, on this planet, occupying space in this place, we grieve over their loss.
At that moment in time, we reflect on all the wonderful ways they impacted our lives. Yet, we never take the time to share our feelings unless it’s at a funeral. The eulogy is a well written summary depicting their life. All the things we should have said when they were alive is now a memory.
Well, this tribute is to my mother, who has been the pillar of strength in all of our lives. A mother of nine children, my mother gave us the best part of her life. Whatever dreams she had for herself, was put on hold in order to meet the needs of her growing family. We sometimes forget foolishly, that she was a woman with hopes and dreams before she was a mother. I admire her strength and character. Besides raising her family, mom helped other children and adults who needed a helping hand.
On weekends, I remember when mom would cook a brunch with all kinds of goodies. Dinner was also something to remember. As kids, we were so excited to sit down and eat as a family. That intimate time with mom and dad was precious. To be honest, we couldn’t wait to dig into mom’s cooking. She was a great cook and still is to this day.
Without failure, almost every weekend when we finally sat down to have a meal, the doorbell would ring. Whoever came to visit, mom would invite them to eat breakfast or dinner. As kid’s we hated it because we didn’t feel like there was enough to go around and heavens forbid, what if we wanted seconds. We wanted that time only for our family. A little selfish when I look back on those years. When we talk about those days, we all laugh about it till this day.
My mom is a giver in every way and even in her old age, she still gives whenever she is able to help someone in need. Did I tell you, she is also a prayer warrior. Mom will pray for any and everyone, sometimes for hours in a day. Mom is not perfect, but she’s perfect for me. At 85, she’s my best friend, my confidante, and she has inspired me to be the woman I am today.
Take time today to reach out to those you love. Don’t hold back your feelings. Let it pour out like droplets of rain until it saturates your loved one. The time is now, not later when the silence of death overtakes their ability to know how you truly feel.
May God continue to heal and bless mom, giving her many more years with her loving family. May my words pour out like rain.
Scattered Thoughts in Life 