Dear Mom

You’ve spent a life time talking to Jesus.

Here of late, you’ve been doing a lot more of that.

And it seems, He’s been talking back, more than ever before.

Wasn’t it just the other day, I heard you say, “Jesus told me He’s coming here to take me Home.”

Time sure flies, doesn’t it mom?

Seems like yesterday, me and my best friend Dave were skipping school. We’d swing by St. Peter Nursing Home to visit you at work. You’d always have a smile and a few dollars for us to run to Dairy Queen or Hardees.

How’d the Nursing Home change so fast from the place you worked, to the place you lived?

I can hear your answer as you shrug your little shoulders, “Old age a-creepin’ up on me,” and hear your soft, laugh, and see your face light up with a beautiful toothless grin. “I won’t be here long. I’m just passing through.”

I wonder, where’d you lose your teeth, this time?

I think, old age doesn’t creep, so much, as it roars in like a hurricane. We know it’s coming, but it seems to be so far out to sea. So, we just go on about our business until all too soon, the rain begins, then the wind and then it’s raging all around, until it consumes us.

The last time we saw each other, I’m so glad you remembered me. You yodeled for us and even though you couldn’t remember you’d just ate supper, you sang every word of “You Are My Sunshine” without missing a word or a beat. We laughed so hard. You were like a child Christmas morn when you patted your hands together and said what’d become your favorite phrase, “Oh happy day.”

When you sang, “Take it to the Lord in prayer” it was really more like you were breathing, than you were singing.

Like that was your breath of life. I believe it is.

I remember the time, when I was a boy, my side hurt so bad I couldn’t walk, could hardly breath. You whispered a prayer, and just like that, I was healed. I’ll never know ‘til we walk those streets of gold, how many times you prayed for me.

I do know, when I was just venturing out on my own, thinking I could conquer the world, but realizing I couldn’t. When the world ran me over, I could feel your prayers, they gave me strength. Helped carry on, brought me back home to the straight and narrow.

Thank you, Mom.  I love you. I never showed you or told you enough.  

I’ll never forget how your glowing smiling giddy face went from happy to sad in the beat of a heart, when I said we had to go. It broke my heart when your little chin quivered and the words fell from your precious lips, “You mean your not going to spend the night with me?”

I could only shake my head and hold you close, the words got stuck in my throat.

You whispered, “What am I going to do? I’ll be all alone.”

You probably couldn't hear me, but I whispered something you already know, "You're never alone." Then, I kissed your forehead and said, “We’ll see each other again. We all just need to get some rest.”

You shrugged and said, “I guess that’s true. Old age a-creepin’ up…on us all.”

You settled back into your bed, humming the tune, “Take It To The Lord In Prayer.”

Mom, you may not remember the way back to your room, but you possess the wisdom to lead anyone from the darkest pit or the deepest sea, straight to the shining streets of heaven.

I know.

I’ve been there.

Thanks for showing me the way.

I love you and will see you soon.