*mother

This past week Henry and I returned to our Florida home while leaving Eric back in North Carolina to finish up the next month at his job there.  While packing the car for our drive we left just enough space for my tiny mother!  She has been with us for a little over a week and we have had a good time. She is gone now and I miss her, I wish she was here now more than I did while she was here (if that makes any sense to you).

 You see, this week I learned some things. Some life lessons.  I never like these lessons while I am in the midst of them and often feel shameful for my behaviours which called for the teaching in the beginning when it is all done.

My mother is ... precious.  Somewhere along the way she did not learn to relax and be still, but some where along the way others didn't learn how to be dedicated hard workers, so does that make one better than the other?  Somewhere along the way us daughters started to pick on her in small ways when she would never sit down and relax the way we relax.  We started to pick on her in small ways when she would go out in our yards and just pick up a rake and rake all day if she pleased. This is how she relaxes and though it gets of our nerves sometimes, why should we on occasion be so harsh with our words to her when she irritates us? She is our mother and that is enough reason for respect.  This past week, I decided that she is an adult (profound I know) and though she gets on my nerves from time to time I am going to treat her with respect always.   I am not saying I dis my mother all the time because I do not.  I know that I do things that gets on my mothers nerves too - this is called life.  I think what we decide to do with those moments is what we call the "way we live".  It is our example to our children of how we want to be treated when we are their Meme's age.

I have seen her be hurt by words spoken, though it may have been merited by things she might have done or not done, but I NEVER want to hurt my mother this way again or see her hurt this way.  One day I will be an older lady, I will say things that do  not make sense and I will do things that seem backwards, but I hope that both of my boys have enough grace to let it be.  I am not saying I am above correction, but I am saying that sometimes we need to practice grace.

I miss my mother.