This will be my fifth Mother’s Day without my beloved mom. She passed away on Valentine’s Day in 2019.
She was born on Dec. 25th, 1930, and was the love of my life. We used to joke that she fell out of the Christmas tree. It never got old. Over the years I grew to understand the significance of her birthday. She gave up so much for us. Aside from the big things – as in – my parents working opposite shifts to feed us and clothe us, etc., there were the little things. Mom would always take the odd plate, the plain cutlery during special occasions (we only had a set of six – we were seven) and was always the last one out of the kitchen. She worked so hard to make us happy and thrive. I have so many memories of the little things she would do. She’d put a bar of Ivory soap in the pockets of a new robe that was a gift. She always found us cute Valentine’s cupcakes, and things for St. Patrick’s Day. I used to get chocolate – or money for chocolate – and then it became Valentine’s or Easter wine – well into adulthood.
My mom taught us to simply be a good person. Do unto others that you would have others do unto to you. People in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones. The truth at any price. The truth will set you free.
Mom was a gift to us on Christmas 1930, and a gift of love on Valentine’s Day 2019.
My dad told me he wished they’d make it to 60 years of marriage. But a priest once told me that the number 59 is very special. There are 59 beads on a rosary. Mom knew what she was doing. She wanted to remind us of so many things in our day to day. Aside from wanting us to pray, I believe that her passing on Valentine’s Day had a reason. And it wasn’t for us to reuse decorations or to get half-off chocolate. It was simply to remind us to love. Not the fake commercial kind like in the movies or in stores, but kindness. Generosity. Empathy. Patience.
