Dear Mama,
Tomorrow is your day and even though you have been in Heaven now for 13
years, I have a feeling that you are looking down on me so it's in this
spirit that I write you this letter and share it with all my friends just to
show the world how much I appreciated you and your Godly upbringing of me.
Please forgive me for being such a rambunctious youngster or monster but
being a preacher's kid, I had a reputation to live up to. Besides, I did not
have many friends for the same reason so my little mind was always spinning
out of control seeing just how far I could push the envelope with out having
to dig another garbage pit - Daddy's form of punishment ;-)
Then we moved out of the parsonage and to make ends meet, you had to go to
work at Fisher-Price. I'm real sure that with all my toys, I have some that
you actually worked on.
Forgive me for shooting Joy in the butt with me bb gun but I was really
shooting at a bird on the fence and she just happened to be on the
otherside. Oh, I missed the bird. LOL
But to be honest, it was she that split my head wide open with a brick when
I would'nt let her on board my make believe boat and she's the one that
threw the rock thru the car window when I wouldn't let her in and I got
blamed for that. BTW, she also dumped my goldfish down the kitchen sink so I
had to run 400 feet and patiently wait down by the creek where the drain
line emptied for what seemed for forever until my friend came slithering
out.
Quite a daughter you raised there, Mama ;-)
Forgive me for running across Rt. 20 and running broadside into that car
which ripped me wide open from breast to breast and knocked me back into the
ditch. I knew you was gonna be mad at me as you were at the neighbors
waiting for me to show up so we could ride to town with them and then I knew
you'd really be upset when I finally was able to stand up and all my innards
started falling out so I struggled across the road with both hands cradeling
my insides. I thought it was kinda of cool but you sure did'nt. ;-)
You were a saint of a mama raising 4 kids plus being a minister's wife which
unless you've been one, nobody can understand the pressure placed on you
when your husband and my daddy was always off solving other families'
problems. Seems the most I saw of my daddy was when i was in the hospital
getting sewed up again.
And then there was the year that I came down with Polio and I have
absolutely no memory of that whole year but I am sure that you went thru
hell as I had turned 16 and I'm sure you were breathing a sigh of relief as
I would be leaving the nest soon.
The one thing I learned about you is that
you NEVER ever quit worrying about your only son even after he was married
and was raising his own family of 5 kids. I did every thing I could think of
to assure you that even though we had moved a 1000 miles away, we were fine
but I doubt I ever got thru to you.
You were not only the world's best mama but you were also a servant to
everyone you came into contact with. Your wheels never sat still as you were
always helping someone else out and picking up any hitch hiker that you
passed. Boy, you were brave but then you had your guardian Angel protecting
you all the time.
The worst day of my life was the day that Daddy called and told me that
you had had a massive heart attack and that you would not give up until I
came home so she could say good by to me. Please believe me, I TRIED so hard
to get a flight but every airport was fogged in east of the Mississippi
river and all flights were grounded. I wore a hole in the floor pacing as I
called every one I could think of to get me home but alas, Daddy called 6
hr.s later and said not to hurry as you had gone home. I'll never forgive
myself for not being with you at that moment but I ask your forgiveness.
I did make it to your funeral though mama and it was so beautiful. Daddy
did the service and told us kids not to shed a tear or he would come unglued
so I have been grieving for 13 years.
Well, I just wanted to tell you Happy Mother's Day and it looks like I'll be
seeing you real soon so stay by that gate and be watching for me. I love
you.
Tommy and family.
PPSers (PostPolioSyndrome) and Jesus!
