Sunday, November 9, 2014

I've Been Priviledged

To have had such an incredible mom. And it's always intrigued me to read her Salutatorian welcome speech from her high school graduation ceremony. She was sixteen when she crafted such a well written expression--only two years older than my LFG. My mom passed away about an hour ago.
And I feel fortunate that LFG, the last of her grandchildren, got here soon enough to firsthand see and feel my mom's love.
My mother was a gift of inestimable value. And I'm awash in the joy of relief--knowing that she is relieved--relieved of her suffering. And I'm reveling in the  blessing of having no regrets--no unrequited issues or situations that would be forever gnawing at and asking for resolution now impossible. My mother and I were rock solid in our uncomplicated and unencumbered love for each other during these last months of her journey.

My only regret is that the sixteen year old woman who wrote that lovely little welcome letter never read Friedan's The Feminine Mystique.

Onward. Now untethered.

ADG2

23 comments:

James said...

God bless her.

Anonymous said...

My heart is truly broken. Your love of your Mom is so evident. You've inspired me to make a sojourn south to mend my own fences. God Bless you and your family. Thank you for letting me know your Mom. Peace be with you. Hal

NCJack said...

A Mom's love and wisdom never go away, and you're fortunate to have received lots of both.

God bless you all.

Teen! said...

God bless your entire family and all that knew and loved your mother.

yoga teacher said...

You're still tethered, babe. In the healthiest and best of ways, your Mom will always be with you. And with LFG. And you'll both know it every time something happens that makes you you freeze, and laugh, and finish the sentence "Grandma......................" (whatever) together.
In the mean time, big yoga hug to you.

Mike said...

I'm very sorry for your loss! God bless you and your loved ones.

Anonymous said...

How lovely that your mother was a gift of inestimable value, and that you knew it. I'm glad for you both that the long journey is now over. You were lucky to have her, and she was lucky to have you. Take care of yourself as you must be very tired.

Cathy

M.Lane said...

I'm so sorry for you and I will say a prayer. These words from William Penn were good for me in a similar time...

They that love beyond the world cannot be separated by it.

Death cannot kill, what never dies.

Nor can Spirits ever be divided that love and live in the same Divine Principle; the Root and Record of their Friendship.

If absence be not Death, neither is theirs.

Death is but Crossing the World, as Friends do the Seas;

They live in one another still.

For they must needs be present that love and live in that which is Omnipresent.

In this Divine Glass, they see Face to Face;
and their Converse is Free, as well as Pure.

That is the Comfort of Friends,
that though they may be said to Die, yet their Friendship and Society are,
in the best Sense, ever present,
because Immortal.

God bless.

ML

Karen of Fair Oaks said...

Never another love like Mom's...one we will never forget.

Anonymous said...

Just wanted to offer some thoughts and prayers from one of your many anonymous readers.

I too had the benefit of being on wonderful terms with my mother before she passed. While it hurt terribly to lose her, I will always be thankful that she expressed her love. I make it a point to let my kids know how much I love and value them. As a regular reader of your blog, I have always been impressed of what a great job you do of making sure your daughter knows you love her.

DocP said...

Sorry for your loss.

SouthernProletariat said...

So very sorry for you. Will be praying for you and your family today.

Anonymous said...

"You're still tethered, babe" from Yoga Teacher is a sweet understatment, dear Max. And we'll look forward to your chronicles in the months and years ahead as you slowly realize that you are, in fact, held tightly within her nucleic acid strand-strangle-hold forevermore! And it will bring you incredible joy to watch yourself auto-completing a thousand things she will continue initiating for the rest of your life. Incredible joy! All in due time. But for now, here's a little spin on W. H. Auden: Earth receive an honored guest, Max's Mom is laid to rest."

-Flo

Anonymous said...

Condolences. Ta'er

Anonymous said...

ADG, My deep sympathies on your loss. Your readers can tell you're a man of great character who was raised by a wonderful mother. You'll always miss her, but eventually you learn to live with the loss, and the good memories outshine the bad. Your path these past months/years is all too common, yet not all bad. It's incredibly frustrating not to have a parent die when it seems to be his or her time. Even when you're resigned to it, still the parent lives on. I had tough times when each of my parents died. My mom went first and relatively quickly, with kidney failure, dialysis and a couple of strokes. Then my dad declined over a period of years, with dementia, two hips broken at separate times, loss of ability to do the daily tasks of personal care, loss of interest in living - it was awful. First I took care of Dad while he lived across town from me in an apartment. Then he needed more care, and lived with my brother for four years before his death. My bro will claim he's no saint, and their life together was far from sunshine and roses all the time, but he sure was saintly to do this. You're in my thoughts and prayers, Elisabeth

Pigtown*Design said...

Thinking of you. xo

Anonymous said...

Dusty
We are so sorry for your loss. What a special relationship you had with your mom one that I hope my boys will have with me
Your in our prayers
Theresa, mark, mark and Michael Rykken

Anonymous said...

Dusty
Sorry for your loss. I can only hope my sons stay true to me.

With comforting thoughts for your family and you
Theresa, mark, mark and Michael Rykken

Kathie Truitt said...

Oh Dustin, I am so, so sorry. I have no words. Just know this ol' gal loves you and is think of you and LFG.

Paul in NoVA said...

I am very sorry for your loss, but am also thankful for what you have shared. Please know after reading posts of yours, I Was inspired to call my mother, also a tough old Southern lady, or send her a note or ask my kids to call her. I will do it again tonight as soon as I get home. Take care.

Paul

CashmereLibrarian said...

Both sad and happy for you, ADG.

CeceliaMc said...

Thank you for introducing her to us.

Thank you for allowing me to love her too.

Patsy said...

So sorry for your loss. We send prayers to you and yours.