Legacy

 

She was a fiery spirit cloaked in a quiet demeanor. She was a sidelines kind of person - content to sit back, one leg tucked up under her, the other one dangling, nodding, giggling and offering a word or two when the opportunity presented, but never vying for the spotlight.

She came in a diminutive package however offered more spunk per pound than anyone I knew. She was a peacemaker but not a push over -- not when it counted. And when she engaged her inner fury, it was unexpected, and effective. She could get your attention. It was a power she used sparingly - selectively. And as a young girl, I was always a little proud of her when she did.

She was quick to say "sure" and to offer whatever she had to give (even that which she didn't have). Anything I learned about giving, I learned from her. She was a dreamer and taught us that we were perfect manifestations of all that is good, and that we could create the life we wanted. She was content to stay on the sidelines, supporting and adopting the dreams of her husband.

Once in a while she would permit herself the luxury of wondering how her life would have looked if she had made different choices; stayed in school longer; studied her beloved Latin; traveled before having children. These mini laments would always end with -- "it all turned out how it should. I got you kids."

We always knew she was a giving little powerhouse, but nothing would prove it more than when she became ill. She fought her disease with an unfailing determination and focus and in the end, she won. She shared her journey with all of us and showed us how to honour the life that is be-gifted to us. She lived on her own terms and best of all, she left a family intact, closer than ever who speak her name every day. She is proof that love never dies.

And on this Mother's Day, I honour the living legacy that is my mom.