GRATEFUL FOR A MOTHER LIKE THAT

I doubt I will ever have a longer lasting relationship during mortality than the one I had with my mother who passed into immortality in May of 2011.

We had sojourned simultaneously in this sphere for 72 years and one month and a few days. There were intervals when the interaction was daily, most of the time it was weekly and infrequently our personal relationships were sparse, but the oneness of a son to his mother was always constant.

I know that my familial experience was somewhat old school, having had parents who remained companions until the death of my father in 1984, and an extended family which had only short periods of minor dysfunction. I had one unusual happening with my mother, in that I had the experience of performing the marriage ceremony as she joined with a second companion for over a few decade of her later life.

The most constant thing about my relationship with my mother was the gratefulness I had for being her son for all those mortal years.

Grateful for a mother, who through love, patience and tenderness taught the joy of bonding which made interdependence in relationships a positive thing, leaving her offspring with the ability and desire to give totally to another without the fear of losing one’s selfness.

Grateful for a mother, who demonstrated through example that happiness could most consistently be enjoyed by those who lived to serve others.

Grateful for a mother, who instilled in the hearts of her children, that no matter how far they may wander from her preferred path she would always have her arms perpetually prepared for a welcome embrace.

Grateful for a mother, who so loved her eternal mate that it was easy to learn that the true merging of two lives in unity came about because each unselfishly strove to help their other half become all that they possibly could be.

Grateful for a mother, who showed that the really valuable things of life were without price while the really pricey things in the world usually ended up being of little value.

Grateful for a mother, who knew that others might not have the same interests, but having variety in one’s activities added to life without subtracting from personal preferences.

Grateful for a mother, who when it was time for a child’s relationship to change from daily to less frequent so that another family unit might come into existence, trusted in her long hours of training, allowing her to let her children go forth into their next phase of life.

Grateful for a mother, who knew that ultimately each of Heavenly Father’s children is accountable for their own choices, mistakes and successes and will receive the consequences for their thoughts, words and actions.

Grateful to a mother, who demonstrated that additional relationships did not need to cause a division of love, but could become the means which helped one to multiply their capacity to love.

Grateful to a mother, who believed in the universal brotherhood of mankind and taught that we need to continually look for the commonalities we share and cherish the strength which comes as a result of our shared differences.

Grateful for a mother, who demonstrated though practice and precept that life is meaningful and the promised joy obtainable.

Grateful for a mother, who lived in such a way that enduring to the end was changed from principle to reality.

As the decades have unfolded in my life I have witnessed evolutionary changes in the idea of what constitutes a family. I know that today there are children being raised successfully in many different types of families, but for me I know my gratefulness will extend into the eternities that I had the privilege of spending my perpetuated probationary days in an old school family with a loving mother who was always there.