Sunday May 10th is the day that we honour all mother’s around the world. I ask everyone to take a moment and reflect on their favourite Mother’s Day memories. One of mine, the youngest of three boys was to make the toast, my middle brother (Mike) his was to make my mom’s tea and my oldest brother (Fred) his was to make the eggs. We so proudly walked into my parent’s room with a tray (probably a cookie sheet) with the plate of food and mom’s tea. As my mom bit into her badly burnt piece of toast and drank from her black tea (she likes double- double with milk) and had her first bite of the runny eggs she smiled and thanked us. Like good sons we sat on the end of the bed waiting for her to finish every bite and finish the last sip of her tea. I am sure we were not the only kids who put our mom’s through this torcher every Mother’s Day. As all good Super-Hero’s they never once complained.
Fast forward to my late teens and early adulthood where I am sure my mother was thankful that gone were those horrible breakfasts but made with love to now lunches out at her favourite restaurants and a card that seemed to take an hour to find (as you wanted it to be so special) and only minutes to write in it to let her know how much she means to you. There is nothing more special than the love of a parent. One of my favourite memories was one year when my parents were visiting (they retired back to Newfoundland) and we were on a walk and came across a large hill and my three kids all started to roll down the hill. Then I heard one of my girls yell up, “Ok nana it’s your turn” and without hesitation I see my 60-year-old mother lay on the grass and start rolling down the hill.
June 30th, 2019 a day that I will never forget, it was the day that my mother’s nurse (in a long-term care facility due to Alzheimer’s) called me to say good-bye to my mother. The time forever etched in my mind 7:50 am was when I received the phone call and as I told her that I loved her and it was ok and she did not have to worry about us and my dad. At 8:10 am was the last time my mother took her last breath. My father and my mother’s brother were on their way to see mom when it happened. I requested from the nurse that when my father and uncle arrived to please give me a call so I can talk to my dad. My dad lost his partner that day, married 60 years and together 63 years.
Now the phone calls begin, Calling my brother’s, mom’s brothers and sisters, my dad’s brother’s and sisters. With the help of social media, I posted my mom’s passing and the outpouring of messages and phone calls from family and friends was incredibly overwhelming. One of my first phone calls was to a mentor of mine both on and off the football field Peter Morris and he made me realize what a gift I received to be able to say good bye and to say thank you to my mom as she transitioned to a better place where her memory will never fail her again. I booked the flight for my brother and myself and we were in Newfoundland that afternoon to comfort my father and to make the arrangements for my mother.
I remember as a child and as a teenager always asking my mother what she wanted for Mother’s Day and she would always say, “The only thing I would like is a homemade card”. I always thought, “What a silly thing she wants” but as any good child that was one of the gifts, I gave her. Like I have seen so many others who have posted on social media, I would give anything to be able to make my mom one more homemade Mother’s Day card and to see her smile.
I ask everybody who can this Mother’s Day May 10th to call your mother, send her a homemade Mother’s Day Card and let her know how much you love and appreciate her. We never know when it will be the last time we say goodbye at the end of a conversation that it will be goodbye forever. Never be afraid to tell a loved one or a friend that you love and appreciate them.
I finish this post with a picture below. This was a picture from the nurse in the Long- Term Health Facility sent me as I was saying good-bye to my mother. She said, “Look at your phone” and when I saw the picture she said, “I wanted you to know your mother is not alone”. This is her holding my mother’s hand as she passed as I talked to my mother.
Be Great! Be Safe!
