A Mother, A Gift
Many years have passed since I wrote this to my mom for her eightieth birthday. reading this reminds me how well I have been blessed.
80 years, like 16, 21 and 40 is a year that should not pass without special notice. This is a marker of life that should not pass without special note. For fifty years I have observed the clear patterns of your life.
It was Aunt Pauline that told me why we left our small house to live at Poppop's farm for nine years. I knew in many ways those years had been hard on you. Poppop's series of small strokes made him hard to deal with. His swearing and dementia would reduce yo u to tears.any times How many times was a night's sleep interrupted by the unearthly wail from a convulsion? How many times did you have to watch over him? Incredible as it seems you chose to be there. Others thought he should have been put in a nursing home when his wife died. You are the one who said "No, not yet." and so for nine years you took what came from your husband's father,
That is the pattern. Over and over I have watched as you have decided the right thing to do and then proceeded to do it no matter what. Sometime it was as simple as baking cookies as a thank you gift for our teachers. Sometimes it involved financial decisions. Money was tight and when you knew it was a good thing you did not hesitate to spend it on us. Church camp was something that must have stretched the budget and yet you made sure that I got there year after year.
Then there was West Virginia Wesleyan. I had been accepted at Salisbury State and financially that was the reasonable choice. I remember the day you came to me and said, "If you want to go to West Virginia Wesleyan, apply." I remember the look of determination in your eyes, a certain fierceness. So for 2 years I went there. When I transferred to the University of Maryland and my college career took some strange turns, regretfully most of them my fault! Still you stuck with me, paying most of the bills. And when the bill for my diploma came you joyfully paid it. You must have scratched your head in wonder as, at various times, the 5 of us wandered, unsure of our direction.And yet in quiet ways, (actions speaking louder than words) you have always stood by each of us.
You stood by Daddy, that's for sure.You modeled for us that in-spite-of kind of love, the kind of love God gives us. Daddy could no longer support you in any way. The sound of his voice saying your name was a distant memory. These factors did not diminish your love for him. Whatever he needed, you made sure he got and your tenderness towards him was apparent until the very end.
The end of Daddy's life did not change the pattern. Still you see what is right and do it no matter whether it's weekly visits to Miss Lucy or commitments to church and church friends. Of course, your quiet commitment to us never ends.
You are not a perfect mother and yet your example of love, commitment, and perseverance has enriched each of our lives. I thank God that he has blessed me, and each of us with you.
80 years, like 16, 21 and 40 is a year that should not pass without special notice. This is a marker of life that should not pass without special note. For fifty years I have observed the clear patterns of your life.
It was Aunt Pauline that told me why we left our small house to live at Poppop's farm for nine years. I knew in many ways those years had been hard on you. Poppop's series of small strokes made him hard to deal with. His swearing and dementia would reduce yo u to tears.any times How many times was a night's sleep interrupted by the unearthly wail from a convulsion? How many times did you have to watch over him? Incredible as it seems you chose to be there. Others thought he should have been put in a nursing home when his wife died. You are the one who said "No, not yet." and so for nine years you took what came from your husband's father,
That is the pattern. Over and over I have watched as you have decided the right thing to do and then proceeded to do it no matter what. Sometime it was as simple as baking cookies as a thank you gift for our teachers. Sometimes it involved financial decisions. Money was tight and when you knew it was a good thing you did not hesitate to spend it on us. Church camp was something that must have stretched the budget and yet you made sure that I got there year after year.
Then there was West Virginia Wesleyan. I had been accepted at Salisbury State and financially that was the reasonable choice. I remember the day you came to me and said, "If you want to go to West Virginia Wesleyan, apply." I remember the look of determination in your eyes, a certain fierceness. So for 2 years I went there. When I transferred to the University of Maryland and my college career took some strange turns, regretfully most of them my fault! Still you stuck with me, paying most of the bills. And when the bill for my diploma came you joyfully paid it. You must have scratched your head in wonder as, at various times, the 5 of us wandered, unsure of our direction.And yet in quiet ways, (actions speaking louder than words) you have always stood by each of us.
You stood by Daddy, that's for sure.You modeled for us that in-spite-of kind of love, the kind of love God gives us. Daddy could no longer support you in any way. The sound of his voice saying your name was a distant memory. These factors did not diminish your love for him. Whatever he needed, you made sure he got and your tenderness towards him was apparent until the very end.
The end of Daddy's life did not change the pattern. Still you see what is right and do it no matter whether it's weekly visits to Miss Lucy or commitments to church and church friends. Of course, your quiet commitment to us never ends.
You are not a perfect mother and yet your example of love, commitment, and perseverance has enriched each of our lives. I thank God that he has blessed me, and each of us with you.
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