Mother’s Day Thoughts a Week Early

I usually do not post here but thought this would be a good place to share some of my thoughts about my mother. With Mother’s Day quickly approaching and the graduation ceremony just a week away (Kate’s for her Master’s and mine for the PhD), I have found that I have been thinking about my mother often. For those of you that may not know, my mother died just before dawn on Mother’s Day 2006 from complications after open heart surgery. It was also the day of my graduation ceremony for my master’s degree. I dedicated my Master’s thesis to the memory of my mother with “her support is enduring”, and anyone that knew my mother surly appreciates and understands my sentiments.

I completed the requirements for my PhD on March 19th. Everyone in my life has been very supportive of me throughout the process. My father has certainly expressed is pride in me, but I have found that the last several weeks I have been acutely aware of the loss of my mother. It seems selfish, but I wanted to hear her say “I’m proud of you” one more time. I have found that I was dreading Mother’s Day and the graduation ceremony the day before. It seemed to be too bittersweet to celebrate my accomplishments without my mother. Of course with further reflection I have come to see a different perspective. My mother is still with us in spirit. Her influence in my life and so many others continues through our actions. My brother (Pete), in an effort to make reason out of our loss, shared his view that my mother’s death provide the motivation for many of the positive things that my family has done and accomplished since. I would add that what see taught us through her actions and love also provided the motivation for many of the positive things we have accomplished. One does not need to look hard to see she is still with us. Thank you Mom, your love and support are enduring.