We said farewell to our mother this afternoon. She died as she lived, surrounded by the people she loved. She faced this day with courage that I can only hope I have inherited from her. We held her hands and she held ours. She looked at us directly, one by one and then she was gone.I don't know how I will live my life now, my life without parents, but I know I have a model by which to move on. It is trite and easy to say of anyone after they are gone that they were wonderful, that they loved life, that they touched all those who knew them. But for my mother all this is true.
We gathered at her house this evening, our family. Her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. We did what all families do after a death, we talked of our time with her as we ate our dinner in her dining room. We told the stories we'd heard over and over again for the past few years and with their telling they wove themselves deeper into our family.
When dinner was over and it was time for us to leave each other we turned to her player piano, her cherished possession, the piano she played as a child, and we sang. Voices raised together in complete disharmony we sang Mom to heaven with Somewhere Over the Rainbow and Goodnight Irene. And with those songs I know she and Dad sang with us.
3 comments:
Sending a lot of love. What a remarkable woman that left us so many wonderful memories. Thinking of you all.
I've found your site though Shelley(I know her from a wedding website) and have been reading it for quite some time now. You are such an amazing writer and what strength you have to write something like you did about your mother today. Thinking of everyone in your family at this time. Your mother sounds like such an outstanding, strong and special woman from my readings. Just remember all the wonderful times you've shared.
Sending all good thoughts to you. You have written so many great posts about your Mom, which will help pass on her memory to all the little ones. Let me know if we can do anything at all.
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