Moms

It has now been ten years since my mother passed away suddenly while we were at a quilt show. It seems like yesterday. Whenever something exciting happens in my life I instinctively still reach for the phone to tell mom. My daughter was only 5 at the time and I remember thinking it wasn't fair that she will never know the most wonderful woman in the world that adored her dearly. Over the years I have experienced motherhood myself which has oftentimes made me want to call my mother and apologize to her. Only a mother can really understand...in good time and in bad. I am truly shocked at how it hasn't gotten any easier to live without her. I don't cry as often and I am living my life but it still isn't fair that she isn't here to see what an phenomenal woman her granddaughter is growing into. It isn't fair that she can't see her tapdance and listen to stories about her first kiss. My mother was famous so my daughter hears about her all the time from quilters that remember her. The things my mother was going to accomplish in this world didn't get done. The quilts she could have made! Holidays have never been the same. The thing is....she didn't have to die. She shouldn't have been so stubborn. No time for the doctor. It's in my head. It's a waste of money. I don't have time for this. Please......if you are experiencing ankle swelling, difficulty breathing, repeated colds/pneumonia.....take the time. Go to as many doctors as you have to until you've exhausted all possibilities. Remember that your life isn't just your own. It belongs to your children...grandchildren...husbands...brothers/sisters...all the people that need you and want you in their lives for many years to come.

Sharing

When I was in college I brought my best friend home with me for Thanksgiving because her family lived too far away for her to visit for the holiday. The first morning we went down to the kitchen and I poured us both a glass of milk. As I put some sliced bread in the toaster she took a sip of milk. She looked at her glass curiously and sniffed it. Then she extended her hand towards me and said, in a very matter-of-fact tone, "try this". I took a sip and.....almost became sick in the sink. The milk was more than a little spoiled!
Ever since this incident I have been hyper-aware of people that feel the need to share an unpleasant experience with their so-called friends. "here, smell this". Now I ask you...why do we do this? Its obvious it smells bad. Its obvious it does NOT taste right. Yet....we promptly hand it over to the nearest person and ask for ..verification.
My daughter is really really good at this particular form of sadistic comraderie! You would think we would want to protect our husbands, children or best friends and immediately expell the offending object from our lives lest someone else suffer as we just did. ROFL But nooooooo, we want to SHARE the experience. I bet after you read this and begin paying attention you will soon see your own examples of this phenomenon in your own lives!