I was a very fortunate kid. I had great parents that I always knew loved me unconditionally.
I was pretty much a "momma's boy" as a youth. I could write for hours about stories of cool things my mom did......I especially remember in junior high and high school she would call the school office and have me excused from class and together we would go eat Mexican food. It was our secret (my dad would not have been in favor of my missing school).
When I was fifteen years old she got sick. By the time I was eighteen she was very sick.
The week before she died I said "good-bye". She held my hand and asked me if I would trade her in for a mother who would have lived longer? Through my tears, I said "no". She told me she would not trade me or my three brothers for one more minute. She had lived the live she had wanted to live.
She said that when I was born (I was the youngest and she was older) she prayed that she would live long enough to see me through high school and off to college. Then with a big smile she added, "If I had known God was listening so closely, I would have asked for a heck of a lot more!!!".
Twenty-one years ago today she passed away. I wish that she were here today to see her ten grandchildren (my three brothers have eight sons between them and my two daughters!!!). I know she would love her four daughters-in-law, and she would be proud of the legacy she has left behind in our families.
21 years is a long time, more than half my life. Here's to you, Betty Singer!!! Thank you!!!
Thom
hey,
ReplyDeletebeen reading your blog for some time now, and keep meaning to post a suitably constructive, intelligent (etc. etc.) comment, thereby contributing usefully (etc. etc.) to one of your many interesting pieces on networking, the web and the way we do business / interact.
instead, i find myself responding first, and without hesitation, to this very awesome story you've just told.
thanks for sharing -- that was wonderful.
Made me want to call my mother!~ She is recouperating from her second knee surgery. I've been reading your blog for some time now, too .. as we share something in common. Now it's two things - Although, my mother's name is really Elizabeth .. and she goes by and spells her name as Bette ..
ReplyDeleteJust like the song Betty and Al. Your post got to me:)
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