Saturday, April 16, 2011

My Mom

I spent the morning with my mom.
It was hard not to think about her as I cleaned out a storage cabinet she had in the cellar.
She saved everything!
  • bank statements
  • paid bills
  • empty champagne bottles
  • golf tees
  • plastic bags
  • thank you notes
  • sympathy cards
  • golf balls
I found these egg boxes filled with, yes, golf balls!


And then this is what undid me.
I found the well-worn dictionary she used to do her crossword puzzles.

And inside, were pieces and pieces of paper with unusual definitions
My mom did not go to college and she never even graduated from high school.  This bothered her so much and she always wished she hadn't had to quit.
Looking at these lists and lists of definitions written in her beautiful penmanship straight across the pages brought tears to my eyes.

She was the smartest woman I ever knew and I miss her so much.

3 comments:

Lisa said...

Linda, I can only imagine.......with just losing my mother-in-law, I can begin to imagine...... How special are those memories of your mother among her things--little things that portray her personality. Thanks for sharing.

Cindy said...

Linda, that dictionary with your mom's lists is a true treasure. You should think about framing that list. The more I read about your mom, the more I know she would have been a woman I loved. I have discovered so many wonderful women while visiting my mom at her retirement home. They love to share their memories and I love to hear them.

Anonymous said...

You spent the morning with your mother sitting on your shoulder. It must have been a peaceful and heartfelt time.