or so i thought.early in the day, i walked into church behind this elderly woman who was wearing a replica of my mother's fisherman knit sweater, the one that she always wore and that i now possess. i held the woman's arm as we climbed the stairs, i commented on her lovely sweater, and wished her a happy mothers' day. smiling, i found my place in a pew. it was mothers' day - and my mother was with me.
as sometimes happens, my eyes misted over a few times at the church music, thinking that i had so badly wanted a sign from my mother and i had been blessed with one. then, as the mass was ending, i listened in disbelief as the choir began to sing this, a piece i love, which means so much to me, which i had posted on serendipitous the night my mother died.
which i swear i had never heard sung in our church before. ever.
34 comments:
We can vow to give proper respect to our mother not juse on mother's day but every single day, because we ignore the fact that she is a real life hero.
Thanks
dear chris,
one thing that never ceases to amaze me is
that He, who watches over the heavens and
the earth, will stoop down to mysteriously
comfort us tiny ants with such intimacy.
your mom's sweater and song. so sweet!
Isn't that amazing? Just a few weeks after my mom's death, I saw a photo of a woman I've never met before in the newspaper. She looked exactly like my mother. She even was wearing the same jacket my mother wore all the time. It was uncanny. I felt my mom's presence a lot more after that.
i can't explain to you what i felt when i saw this picture... i was viewing my dashboard and scrolling through the list of bloggers that i follow and when i scrolled up to yours and this picture was before me on the screen for a fleeting moment my thought was "wonder where granny was in this picture".... swear... and then it hit me that it wasn't my grandmother... my granny left us 20 years ago... i don't have a picture to send to you to show you the absolute direct resemblence but please take my word when i say to you that this absolutely could have been my grandmother, no doubt... same dress, same sweater (that she never, ever was without...), same build, same hair, everything...
i wished my mother a happy mothers day today... and just a few minutes ago i wished my grandmother the same... i hope she heard me...
thank you very much for the reminder... and i am sorry for your loss and so happy for your memories...
hugs...
She's with you! And you are with your kids. And the circle continues. May you have peace in your fond memories, and the knowledge that she is with you.
Well i am really sorry for your loss, but yes she is definitely with you all the time, and especially when you need her the most.
I lost my dad in January so September will bring my first fatherless Fathers' Day - I feel your loss, pain and grief!
So does your Father - He loves you and sent those signs to show His love.
Yes, it's a deep void. But still I cherish my mother's memory. My mother died on 8th August 20 years back. She used to love underprivileged children and since last two years on her salvation day I have started adopting at least one underprivileged girl child from my locality for primary education.That's way I keep my mothers day alive.
Glad you were comforted on such a difficult day for you.
I Love those moment when you feel like the person you long to see again is maybe there with you or thinking of you. that sounds like a terrific moment for you, a little high on a day of longing. I too live on without my mother. It can be tough but those moments are ones to treasure. Loved that post, the reason i now follow your blog and will continue to do so.
Meg.
hello! :) i'm just a random stranger who stumbled upon your blog when it was listed as one of the blogger blogs of note, and i've been following your blog ever since then because you take note of the most beautiful simple things that are all around us and your entries never fail to bring a smile to my face :) feel compelled to leave a comment at this post because i really felt very touched.
sometimes the serendipity in life gives us so much comfort and hope, and your mum must have been there with you all this while <3 take care, and thank you for this beautiful entry :)
mother's day is hard for my mom. about 14 years ago my mom lost her mother on easter sunday. and when mother's day comes around my mom is always sad. i miss my grandma so much but its hard. but i have my mom and she is stronger then ever since her mother died.
Such a sweet mom! I started following your blog the day you wrote about your mother's shampoo bottle. It was very touching to read my exact feelings described so precicely by another person. I have lost both my parents, and all the fond memories and gratitude make me cherish the things they left behind, - even the most everyday and unimportant items. Even if my family is not a religious one, we feel that we have had one very powerful sign once. Several years after my parents had died, I discovered to my surprise that I was pregnant. After having tried for a decade to have a second child, my husband and I had accepted that this was unlikely to happen. And here I was, undeniably pregnant! This felt like a miracle! A fortnight before the baby was due, a baby boy was born, on what would have been my father's eightieth birthday!! This was very emotional to us. Now there is a little boy walking around, with his grandfather's name and birthdate. Two years after, he even got a sister. It is sad, though, that they never met their grandparents.
Isn't it great how God can comfort us when we most need it.
Your mother and my mother are always with us in our hearts. They are with God which means they are happy and that's what I wanted for my mother above all.
I'm deeply happy for you. Synchronicity in the universe...what comfort.
Nance
It is tremendous that you were open to receiving the sign sent to you! It's one thing to ask for a sign, and completely different thing to being open to receiving them. Signs are all around us if we truely want to see them! So glad your spirit is open to these gifts!
I love moments like that...when someone we loved who has passed on finds a way to let us know they are still with us. Beautiful.
The signs are there if we just watch and listen.
Pat
www.critteralley.blogspot.com
Thanks you! mama I love you.
I'm sorry for your loss. I'm so very glad that you still got to spend Mother's Day with your mother. :)
she is definately with us what was the song?
thank you for the heartfelt comments and the heartwarming stories. i have loved reading them over and over. and they leave me sighing contentedly and smiling at the connectedness that it seems we all acknowledge. :-)
Looks like my grandma too.
Thanks for sharing the love. It's super cool how God gives us those miraculous moments.
you are such a good writer (:
Sunday was my second Mother's Day without my beautiful mom.
When my husband and I sat down in church that morning, the first song was an adorable performance by our children's choir.
Then the worship leader invited us to join and led us in "How Great Thou Art"--the hymn I had selected for my mother's memorial service.
Our mothers passing does not end the influence or warmth they shine into our lives and heart...in fact, it only increases with time and perspective. Thanks for sharing yours. Jim
your posts really hits home for me..thank you very much..
Isn't it amazing what triggers our memories. A dandelion reminds me of making a wish for my sister while she was away at camp when we were young. And now as I breath deep the scent of lilac I can feel her (she passed away from ovarian cancer). My mother and sweaters and every rose. There is so much in life, I hope we can continue to find the simple beauty of everyday.
Thank you for your wonderful posts!
A motherless mother's day is unfathomable for me. The thought crossed my mind that day. What would I do without my mom? I couldn't even begin to think of an answer. It took strength for you to get through that day. I don't know if I would have been as put together.
What a beautiful uplifting story!
Chris, I too have a difficult time every year at Mothers Day. Here is the blog I wrote on that day. http://thekitchengardennovice.blogspot.com/2010/05/dear-mom.html
Chris, I recently start following your blog. this is my first comment. "my eyes misted" while reading your Mother's Day blog entry.
your mom must have been proud of you. I miss my mom, because she is in Europe and I am in United States. But, no matter how far our mothers are always present within our hearts.
Our loved ones are always with us in one shape or form. The silly little things to remind us that they watch over us, protect us and love us with the deepness that was always there. For all those who meant so much to me that are lost I feel them every day with tiny little triggers, and I know as the warmth spreads how precious those moments and memories are. Keep strong. Your Mum is with you always.
live is good :) just smile
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