My Courageous Mother

I'm giving this blogging thing a try at the encourgement of my first cousin Monica who visited me a couple of times over the past couple of weeks. I laid to rest my mother yesterday. I will post more about her, but to start with following is a tribute that I wrote and spoke at during her homegoing service:

As I have been reflecting over the past several weeks what seems like but a whisper of time with my mother, I have had many good memories of our life together. One of the most vivid memories I have was when I was a little boy and we would go downtown to spend the day together shopping and eating. Before the days of shopping malls and the unpopularity of public transportation, we would take the city bus from home to go downtown where she would purchase for me school clothes and classroom supplies for the upcoming school year. I would place my small, trusting hand in her loving and strong hand as we crossed the downtown streets. And as we shopped, we would visit such places as Woolworth’s or Miller and Rhoads to eat lunch. Both of these places are no longer in existence, but this particular memory will last forever. Not all of my memories were found to be good ones, however. There were some unpleasant memories that surfaced as well over the past weeks. Yet through the unpleasant memories and the good memories combined, I found a thread of unconditional love and support. Our relationship was a particularly close and tight bond. It is said that the bond between mothers and sons, or between fathers and daughters, is naturally close, but ours went beyond, it seemed, the normal closeness that is to be expected. We were each others defender and protector; we were each others biggest supporter and cheerleader; we were each others confidante and sympathizer. I’ve often thought that, specifically, the health issues that my mother had to bear were not fair or equitable for one person to go through. But through this and other struggles in the course of her life, I have discovered a woman who possessed an incredibly strong and unbreakable strength, a kind of love that was totally unconditional, a quest for excellence, and a generosity that knew no boundaries; not only for me, but for all those she touched. It is that incredible strength, unconditional love, not settling for mediocrity, and generosity that has flowed down from her and become a part of me. It will certainly not end with me. I have, and will continue to, display these same qualities to my own child to become a part of her. As long as life here on earth lasts, these qualities will remain a part of my family’s legacy. There is a place in my heart, Mom, that longs to hear your voice again and to feel the enthusiasm and love that was evident whenever we talked to each other on the phone or spent time together. I will greatly miss you, but I must not be selfish. You are now in a much better place -- a place you have longed to go to ever since I first knew you. Your eyes are healed and you can see with perfect vision; your mind is healed from all worries and struggles; and your body is healed from all disease and sickness. You have fought the good fight. You have finished the race. You have kept the faith. Now there is in store for you a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to you on that day who has longed for his appearing.