Yesterday I drove to Connecticut. Oh, how many times in the past few years did I make that round trip in one day? It began when Mom’s attention span became shorter and shorter, and so after a brief visit she would dismiss me and home I’d go. The days of walks and talks and dinner at our favorite Italian restaurant (Mom would insist on using the 10% off coupon she received in the mail), were gone.
Ad so yesterday was different; there was no mom to visit; no picture to send to my sisters and brother from my IPhone. I didn’t anticipate how hard it would be to turn off the Merritt Parkway and not drive to receive her simile.
“Oh, I don’t have Mom in my daily life anymore.” Didn’t I know this? Of course I did. Of course I didn’t. Do I know it now?
I went to the Memorial Garden at the church and that helped. Carved on a big stone I read Jesus’ comforting words from Matthew, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest” (11:28). This garden is a ‘thin space’ where trouble and sorrow is lifted, where God is present. Mom was there, too.
Ad so yesterday was different; there was no mom to visit; no picture to send to my sisters and brother from my IPhone. I didn’t anticipate how hard it would be to turn off the Merritt Parkway and not drive to receive her simile.
“Oh, I don’t have Mom in my daily life anymore.” Didn’t I know this? Of course I did. Of course I didn’t. Do I know it now?
I went to the Memorial Garden at the church and that helped. Carved on a big stone I read Jesus’ comforting words from Matthew, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest” (11:28). This garden is a ‘thin space’ where trouble and sorrow is lifted, where God is present. Mom was there, too.
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