My Mom

by Sande
(New Jersey)

I'm 63yrs old. I just lost my mom who was 84yrs old. I hear how lucky I was to have had a mom for so long. I know that is so true. The tender moments with a loved one who ages right in front of your own eyes is amazing. I remember when I was little and my mom would dance the fast dance with me for fun. I remember my mom hanging cloths in the back yard, or in the kitchen ironing clothes. As years were going by, some of her kids moved out and of course moved back home a few times. But one thing for sure we never left mom. We went to the shore when we were little, or we went to see the one bear in Caldwalter park, or a flee market, garage sales in the summer. My mother never wanted anything big for herself. She was I guess you could say old fashioned, she liked the little things in life. If I brought over a good piece of Italian cheese we would sit and have some with bread and talk about it like it was gold. Then it would start her on how her mom was a good cook. Oh yea and the story how her mom had to raise her 5 brothers because her mom died at a very young age. So my mom had some memories about the piece of cheese and her being a little girl and having alot of people in the house. Her mom was always at the stove cooking or cleaning. Her mom promised her mother to take care of her children (her brothers). So when I bring the cheese I know i'm in for a nice long talk of how hard grandmom had to work to raise her brothers and her own 4 children. It was funny then to hear it over and over again. But to tell you the truth it brings tears to my eyes now when I picture my mom the little old lady she became right in front of me in a matter of 63 yrs. How very, very sweet and kind and loving my mother was. What I am trying to say is, me and mom came a long way. We were lucky if we had one meal for the day. We had hand me down clothes and shoes, and were glad to have them. We were so sick of oatmeal for breakfast or puff rice, but we ate it. I'm moms oldest daughter out of three. I was there first. And somehow it makes me feel a little more special. but I know mom had no favorites, so she would always say. My mom lost her youngest son at 41, and her oldest son at 61, and she lost her first born at 6 months. So I can only believe she is side by side with her 2 sons and her baby now. I know mom was tired too we sure kept her busy. I know how lucky we were to have her so long I just wish I would of listened just a little better and brought over cheese just a little more often than I did. If you know what I mean. Just to hear her tell her story she had a glow on her face. and love in her eyes.
thanks for letting me share.