Carrying On
I started down a path this morning with my writing, but about a paragraph in I stopped and turned around. I deleted those words, and even shut off the computer. It was just too sad. And today’s not really a day for sadness. It’s Mother’s Day and who in the world wants to be bummed out on Mother’s Day. And two people in our party are mother’s and good ones so I’m going to circle back and start over.
Actually, the last paragraph was me starting over, but let’s not quibble about the details. I’m tired this morning. I spent all day yesterday on my feet as part of a crew live streaming three events, all part of the Songwriter Serenade, a lively music competition for singer songwriters. It was a day full of music and laughter, good food and good cheer. In the end, they lined everyone up and announced a winner, then we went off to listen to more music from the judges before calling it a day.
Later this morning, after we all get up and struggle around with our aches and pain, we’ll hit the road. My daughter, the mother of two is at my home, visiting with her brother, and she’ll be gone by the time I get back home. So, I’ll miss giving her a hug and saying happy Mother’s Day, but I’m pretty sure she knows I love her, and I’ll also call my daughter-in-law to wish her Happy Mother’s Day and later this week I’ll watch her oldest son graduate college. My own mother is a long time gone, and my wife, the mother of my own children, is gone as well. But the lives those two mothers gave, however, are carrying on and that deserves a nice thank you from the bottom of my heart and a smile, because that’s how the story goes.
John W. Wilson is the author of The Long Goodbye: A Caregiver's Tale