It is universally known that every child will be embarrassed by their parents at some point in their lives - it’s a given. I was never the parent that tried to protect my boys from bullies or mean teachers, but I would definitely step in if I felt they were disrespected or helpless. It was important to me that they realized that there would always be somebody that didn’t like them or a boss that wasn’t fair. I wanted to prepare them to deal with these situations in a satisfactory manner while learning how to compromise. I am, by nature, strongly opinionated. It’s not entirely difficult to awaken my ire. I’m sure, as a parent, this was hard for my children. I was always prepared to voice my opinion and was never afraid to challenge someone on something I believed in. My kids hated this, but they thank me for it now. This makes me believe that I must have done something right. My mom was also the type of parent that was always ready for a fight. She could be loud, aggressive, and didn’t care what others thought about her. As a kid, her temper was always a problem, but now I see it as a truly amazing asset. If you can use your words for battle, not your fists, you’ll come out ahead every time - guaranteed. When I would come home from college to visit, I would see old friends and people my parents went to church with. I was often told I was a lot like my mom. At the time, I did not take that as a compliment. In fact, I hated it. I would even argue the point, depending on the foe and who surrounded us. Now, I see what she possessed as a gift. I love it when somebody says I remind them of Mary. In my mind, I know which parts of her I emulate, and which parts haunted her until her last breath. She had an eternal sadness, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t find the light at the end of the tunnel. It’s heartbreaking for me to realize that she lived with that weight for 82 years. What a long time for someone to be sad. The people who offer such kind words usually don’t know about the unfortunate periods of my mother’s life, and that’s alright. Doesn’t everybody deserve the honor of having their memory reflected on positively? What good does the negative do once we’re gone? I take the compliments, but I add my own addendum to the golden heart she tried so hard to keep shining. I am so proud to keep her memory alive - the regrets and darkness gone forever. She deserves that. The reward of a life well lived - flaws and all. I miss you mom, you were the greatest. I hope everybody has a great weekend! Lets talk again Monday, I’ll bring the coffee. -Ruth
Posted on: Fri, 16 Jan 2015 23:22:44 +0000
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