A birthday message

Today would have been my mother's 75th birthday and I wish I could wish her a happy birthday.

Grief is a strange thing. Over the past 9 years it has been like the waves on the beach. Sometimes the occasional gentle wave and other times like a freak tidal wave crashing over me. 

I still catch myself thinking about picking up the phone and calling her to tell her something. Then I remember.

But, I am grateful for my faith and testimony of the plan of salvation which lets me know that all is as it should be. She had completed her earthly mission and it was her time to return. Her life had been one filled with trials, more physical and emotional pain than anyone would imagine because she never complained.

At the end she said she was ready to go 

"I have had a good life"

She knew the secret of gratitude.

Today I will celebrate her life here on earth. I will celebrate this wonderful woman who taught me about patience, about enduring trials of every kind with a faithful heart and cheerful demeanour. She taught me the value of a good sense of humour and of looking outward to others and forward with hope.

 Although she was small in stature, she was a spiritual giant.

She had soft and gentle hands and a gentle manner, and I grieve for my children who have missed out on her hugs and her fruitbuns. They have to settle for my memories of her for now.

She was diagnosed with cancer in the same week that we moved out to Australia, 

these photos were taken on our last visit to her before we left and although they were snappy snaps, they are treasures.

 I love this last one of Bestemor with our Little Possum. 

She must have wondered about seeing her grow up.

I hope that my mother gets to look in on us occasionally. I hope I am making her proud.

I will see her again, of that I am sure. In the meantime I shall continue to miss her but cherishing wonderful memories.

Carpe Diem

The Dalai Lama IV said:

"There are only two days a year when we can do nothing. One is yesterday, and the other is tomorrow"

I thought of that quote this week and the link between procrastination and regret as I was working on my family history trying to find some particularly elusive relatives and ancestors. There are only a few people left in my extended family now who have personal knowledge, information, anecdotes and memories to share. So I have contacted relatives both sides of my family, reaching out to distant cousins of my parents in the hope of tapping into their valuable memories before they are gone.

My aunt is the keeper of family history on my father's side, and I am so grateful that she is still remembering and still sharing information with me. She has always been a faithful letter writer, and I regret all the times when I felt "too busy" to sit down to write a letter to her. This week she sent me some photographs of my grandfather's cousins who emigrated to North Dakota, USA. My aunt corresponded with all her cousins and 2nd cousins who had emigrated and recorded names, dates and places.

I was touched to see this on the back of one photograph (and the funny little verse!) - cousin Jennie was always very interested in her father's family and on this occasion requested photographs so that she could make a photoalbum, presumably for her children. I'm certain my aunt answered promptly.... she's wonderful like that!... and I hope that cousin Jennie was able to complete the photoalbum. 

Cousin Jennie passed away 6 months after this request.

Time is precious.

I'm off to write more letters!