Life is made up of seasons. Some come upon us unexpectedly.
Last year, I was thrown into a season I had't counted on and was unprepared for -- A Mom Season.
I thought my life was busy, but that was before my eighty-seven-year-old mother became ill and during that illness she was widowed. She moved to an assisted living center in a town close to my home. I have no siblings who live nearby so it's a me and Mom season.
There are doctor visits, ER visits, surgeries, bills to pay, hands-on care, shopping to do and a whole other list of to-do's for my mother that are part of my life now. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed. I can't find time for my job or my family or me. And there are days that, after leaving Mom, I cry all the way home because it hurts to watch her struggle through this difficult season in her life. And I know that one day I will drive home and it will be the last time. That makes me cry too.
And so, I am reminded that this is only for a season. It is a time I will never be able to retrieve, which makes it precious.
This is a me and Mom Season. It's a time to love each other. A time to share memories. A time to make new ones. It's a time for story-telling, and a time to get to know one another better, and to gather with family to celebrate birthdays, holidays and other special occasions.
.
Mom and I have quiet conversations, lunches at the duck pond and drives along the river. We share favorite movies and talk about books and family.
This is a blessed season.
I am grateful for these days. Without them, I would never have known my mother the way I do now.
She's lived here for a little more than a year. We recently celebrated her 88th birthday. I'm chronically trying to catch up on my email, find time to finish my next blog or work on my latest book project. I worry more and sometimes I don't sleep, but I am thankful. These days may be difficult, but they are sweet. I've been given the gift of knowing the depth of my mother's love. And I've discovered her courageous heart.
I've always loved my mother, but I didn't understand how grand a lady she truly is. Now I do.
Grace and peace to you from God,
