"Knowing You'll Be There, Makes It Easy Too Go Home"

I wanted to write this before Mother’s Day, but there just didn’t seem to be time. Mom will be gone four years this coming July. The peace I feel today is because of the assurance I have that she went to be with the Lord. It would be pure selfishness to wish here back here on this old earth. Mom died of brain cancer. Her death came a year after the diagnosis. All of her children and many of her grand children were with her during the last days and hours of her life. We all were able to spend alone time with her and tell her what was on our hearts. Many have to face the death of a loved one without warning. We are thankful we knew she was dieing. Mom could only speak barely above a whisper. She had had surgery on her vocal cords a number of years ago and I actually forgot what her voice sounded like before the surgery. Soft or loud, it mattered not – it was mom’s voice. In my younger days mom was very firm and could even be hard at times, but the years mellowed her like fine wine. Her life was hard after my dad died at the young age of forty-eight. There was little or no insurance money, so she had to go back to work after being out of the work force for a long time. It was hard, very hard, but she did it. She did marry again, and while there were many good things about her second mate, there were many things that were not. She never talked to us about it, but we knew all was not well. Toward the end, she talked a lot about seeing our dad again. We buried her beside dad and know it was a great reunion when she got home. No one can ever take the place of your mom. You only get one and no one will ever be able to fill her shoes. I am so thankful for my mom. I never questioned her love for me. I miss her quite rough whisper when she would say, “I love you”. I also miss that sparkle in her eyes when she would say it too. The words of a Gaither Vocal Band song come to mind as I think of Mom on this Mother’s Day. “Knowing You’ll Be There, Makes It Easy Too Go Home.”