Happy Birthday Mom

Today is a personal blog entry. HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!! She would have been 82 years old today. I miss her greatly. I cannot believe that this photo (aka. Instagram memory) was taken 2-years ago. She looked great. She looked completely different when she passed away on February 27, 2018. She died from cancer in the liver and opted for Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID). Although it’s been only 16-months ago when we last spoke, I feel that she is with me everyday. I see her at everyday on my phone (see below) and I take screenshots of her when it’s 1:11 or 11:11. I feel like she’s saying “hi” to me.

I have a zillion of tasks to do but I find that “I’m on hold” when I feel the urge to blog. So, until I blog… NOTHING GETS DONE. Aside from seeing my mom everyday on my phone, I think about her all of the time. Just the other day at my twin brother’s new condo (with air conditioning), I said, “Mom would love this!!!” She would have. She loves AC. She would also love my brother’s condo. So new. So nice. Near her condo. Perfect location. Today I also thought of her because it rained. She would have appreciated a cooler day, so it rains on her birthday. CLASSIC. So I had to take a picture (see below).

I thought about blogging about my mom and deliberated if it would be appropriate to blog about her on my blog. Well, here I am. I’ve been wanting to write about my mom since she passed away. I tried many times last year, but I got overwhelmed. I could not do it. So, I parked that project, titled “20 days.” Even thinking about writing this blog entry brought up some emotions. I am grateful everyday that she was teaching and guiding me until her very last moments with me (and my family). She may have hated school, but she was the greatest TEACHER. Much of who I am and much of what I know are because of her. I still wonder, how she do it? She kept all 5 of us together. She was the nucleus of our family… and now we’re floating electrons.

Thank you mom for being you. Thank you for your strength. Thank you for your thoughtfulness, kindness, and love. You are so right… I can’t call you anymore. But I will stick to my commitment and write about you and your last 20 days. I only have gratitude. Love you always.