Oh, Mama

Today would have been my mom's 86th birthday.  She's been gone for 8 months and I miss her so much that it hurts.  But today, I let go of the longing and, instead, celebrate the wonderful mother I had.  I also celebrate the joy that I felt recently while watching a mom with her young son and daughter.  My mom and I always had a special, very, very close relationship that included mother-daughter love mixed with best-friend understanding.  I saw the same kind of respectful relationship between a mother and her children recently while shopping at my favorite thrift store.  Instead of the usual whining and reprimanding that one has come to hear so often in retail settings, this mom and her elementary school-age son and daughter were warm, patient, respectful and loving with each other.  There was no begging to buy something.  Instead, the son and daughter were helping their mom shop for clothes, frequently announcing their finds with, "Oh, Mama -- Look at this!  This would look nice on you!"  I smiled and thought of the many times that Mom and I shopped together at that same thrift store, encouraging each other with our purchases and creating memories that will last this daughter's lifetime.  Happy Birthday, Mom.  You are forever in my heart.