A Little Sentimentality, If You Please

My mom has Alzheimer’s.

So our time is precious. My family is very close and we all support, love and appreciate each other. This by no means is to say we are perfect; we fight just like everyone else. We just forgive and move on.

Mom is the most loving, giving person you will ever meet. I may be biased but she never thought of herself. One may argue that isn't healthy, nevertheless, her love was returned tenfold by all of us. I could never attain her gift to love selflessly.

The funny thing is that she was always very practical. My Grandfather was an inventor and he made a great deal of money just prior to the depression. He spent his money on property….Guess what happened? And my grandmother wouldn't let him evict anyone.

He never stopped dreaming or inventing, but he was never lucky on material wealth.

So mom grew up always feeling the need to prepare. To make sure her and dad were frugal so as to give us what we needed.

 It wasn't important to her if we were geniuses. As a matter of fact, I think she wanted us just above average. That way we would be happy the way we were not always inventing, and reaching for the next big discovery.

Sorry!

All those words to share something!

I wasn't looking for anything meaningful today however; I found this beautiful sentiment on Facebook:

Recently, I overheard a mother and daughter in their last moments together at the airport as the daughter's departure had been announced. Standing near the security gate, they hugged and the mother said:

"I love you and I wish you enough."

The daughter replied, "Mom, our life together has been more than enough. Your love is all I ever needed. I wish you enough, too, Mom." They kissed and the daughter left.

The mother walked over to the window where I sat. Standing there, I could see she wanted and needed to cry.

I tried not to intrude on her privacy but she welcomed me in by asking, "Did you ever say good-bye to someone knowing it would be forever?" "Yes, I have," I replied. "Forgive me for asking but why is this a forever good-bye?"

"I am old and she lives so far away. I have challenges ahead and the reality is the next trip back will be for my funeral," she said.

When you were saying good-bye, I heard you say, "I wish you enough." May I ask what that means?"

She began to smile. "That's a wish that has been handed down from other generations. My parents used to say it to everyone." She paused a moment and looked up as if trying to remember it in detail and she smiled even more.

"When we said 'I wish you enough' we were wanting the other person to have a life filled with just enough good things to sustain them". Then turning toward me, she shared the following, reciting it from memory,

"I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright.

I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more.

I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive.

I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear much bigger.

I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.

I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.

I wish you enough hellos to get you through the final good-bye."

She then began to cry and walked away.

I thought this would resonate so much with my mom.

I took this as a personal message to me, from my mother.

I always want to wake up and happily embrace the day enjoying the discovery of what can happen.

I want to see the glass as half full, not has half empty.

Life isn't about having everything you want. It is about stopping, listening, and feeling.

This makes me smile as well:

I want to sing like birds sing

Not worry who hears or

What they think.

                                        RUMI

So tomorrow I will say, “Mom your love is all I ever wanted, and always received. I wish you enough mom.”

Thanks for indulging my sentimentality,

Minelle