Mom

My mother is 93 and very close to losing her ability to speak. There are days when she doesn’t speak at all during my visits. If she were to say something, she would say that she was good. She was fine. Today, it was two words – thank you.

This is the crystal clear legacy that my mother leaves me. Be grateful. Don’t complain. Having helped her write her life story, I’m quite sure her gratitude comes from having a tough childhood. Marriage rescued her from circumstance.

The gift of gratitude is a two-way street. If one can begin to live a life of gratitude, one is content, happy. This of course radiates out to other people. There’s no responsibility for someone else to fix anything. People love my mom at the place where she lives. She’s pleasant and she makes no demands.

The downside is that you can be taken for granted. Sometimes I have to wipe her mouth of egg from breakfast in the middle of the afternoon, so I know that the details are being missed. Then I usually make sure that someone else has a little egg on their face. It’s a matter of respect.

Mom has been able to answer the question, What is enough? Americans would do well to ask themselves that question as we stroll through the lanes of stores bulging with food or goods. At least for me, faith, family, friends and neighbors (and one or more ways to serve) are enough. The older I get, the more certain I am that my cup runneth over.