Mother’s Day 2007

This is my second Mother’s Day without Mom. She died a few days after her nursing home’s totally uncoordinated Katrina evacuation. Her mental capacity was diminished during her last year, so she was probably not aware of what was going on around her in those last few days.

She was born early in the 20th century, before radio and TV, before cars were common, only a few years after the first powered human flight. Her birthplace was a farm in rural Louisiana and her native language was Cajun French. I’m not sure if she finished high school, but in her generation that didn’t matter. She held jobs in an era when women usually didn’t, married at 39 at a time when most women married at 20, had two children in her 40s which was unheard of at the time.

Mom was a story-teller with a good sense of humor and a love of travel. She liked to socialize and always knew what was going on in the lives of her family and friends. She had a strong sense of duty in life and always wanted to do things the right way. Her opinions were strong but she carefully chose when to make them public. I’m a lot like she was and I’m not sure I realized how much till I wrote this paragraph.

Even though she had a unique and interesting life before we came along, Mom frequently told my sister and I that her life didn’t really start till her 40s when she had us. What an amazing way to say she loved us.

Love you, Mom. Miss you.