Mom's Birthday

"In every conceivable manner, the family is our link to our past, bridge to our future." Alex Haley

~Today is a day I have ignored for quite a few years. The memory of my Mother and her birthday was best left alone if I wanted to have a nice day, but today I have found sadness for the loss of my mother and what could have been. Above is a picture of my Mother in a happier time, when she and Dad were in love and probably thought they would live happily ever after. Well that usually happens in Fairy Tales to people who think" Happily ever after" means ' life without reality and consequences'. ~I was looking up quotes about mothers, and like birthday cards for mothers, none of them were appropriate. I loved my Mother, and I have quite a few happy memories of her. She died 2 decades ago and her last few years were ones of much grief and tragedy for my sisters and father and extended family. I wish my younger sisters had as many pleasant memories of her as I do. Mom was so often unhappy with life and I sadly reflect on what a waste. What a waste of time, emotion, and energy when she had a husband, ( Dad ) who loved her so much, and she had us 4 girls who loved her, and so many grandchildren who loved her. She could be a lot of fun ! ~My children remember her goody drawers, full of candy and prizes for them.,the stories she would tell them and that she was just plain interested in them. My Mother was a good mom when I was little. She was also a foster mother to babies when we lived in Hawaii, Louisiana and Klamath Falls, Oregon. I remember those little foster brothers and sisters, and Mom got to name some of them. She fell in love with those babies and missed them terribly when they went to adoptive homes. ~Here is a picture of Mom with myself and 2 of my younger sisters. Our youngest sister was not yet born. Mom was often caring for us while Dad was deployed. Dad did 2 tours in Korea, 2 tours in Vietnam, and numerous times the Army sent him far away for months at a time. I am not sure why my Mom was so unhappy.....from all I remember, know, and have learned, I think there was a lot of unhappiness all her life....and that is a great sorrow, because as I reflect on those of us who loved her,she was rich and blessed beyond all comprehension. ~This verse from Proverbs is so true, "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones." Proverbs 17:22 ~If you have a chance, look up all scripture that talks about anger, sadness, bitterness and see what the physical ramifications of those attitudes are....pretty startling and so very true. ~My 3 sisters and I are getting together this weekend for a reunion.Coincidentally, this is also the birthday month of both our parents. This will be the first time we all 4 have been together for many years and I can't wait. We will have a blast, my sisters are fun...and we will reflect on good times. I hope time has helped soften some of the memories and that we are able to be thankful for the hard times that have molded us and our families into stronger and better people, because after all, what is the alternative? "In each family a story is playing itself out, and each family's story embodies its hope and despair." Auguste Napier

"Family quarrels have a total bitterness unmatched by others. Yet it sometimes happens that they also have a kind of tang, a pleasantness beneath the unpleasantness, based on the tacit understanding that this is not for keeps; that any limb you climb out on will still be there later for you to climb back." Mignon McLaughlin

~Here's to memories of happy birthdays and fun times , and thankfulness for the family God has given us, because He does not make mistakes and did not accidentally place us in any family or circumstance..but has allowed whatever life has brought us for our benefit and the ability to rise above any situation with His help and providence and cause good to come of it.

Blessings; sisters, good memories, and yes.... my mother