Norma was my mother too! She wasn’t my mother by birth but we became very close over the years. She and I had a common bond. We both loved Joe. The following poem wasn’t written by Norma but her inspiration was there….
Happy Mother’s Day! Some of us have had several and others few; some have been mother to one and others have mothered a slew; mothers to children and mothers to men also mothers to some furry friends; no matter the heartache or burden endured; the good times are remembered and the love remains pure; count the blessings you receive and dismiss all else because you’ll always know you did your best!
This poem came to me as I was going to sleep last night. I posted it on Facebook before I went to sleep and wanted to share it here as well. I did change the last words because I liked them better this way in an awakened state.
My experience as a mother has been very rewarding but not without challenge. All those years of thinking what I had to say went in one ear and out the other has been proven not true. I often heard my words repeated by my children to others as good advice. It’s good to know that the “look” they gave was only because they knew you were right! You can’t ask for more.
Over the years I’ve heard stories of other mothers’ challenges and I’ll take mine any day of the week. I believe the key is advising them as one human to another, not as your child because they have to live in this world too and even though mom won’t always be there, your words will live on. My favorite saying (long before I heard it from Dr. Phil and before he was on Oprah) is that you aren’t raising children you’re raising adults.
Of course the best thing for me is that mine are all raised! Norma raised three and one of them was Joe. The time we spent before his untimely death were the best of my life.