MEMORIES
Dave
GALLERIES
From Her Son, Dave
I wanted to write down some memories of my mother but I'm not sure how to do this. The memories of my youth, as I have discussed with her as well as my brother and sister, are sketchy at best. I have only little snip-its of memory that are little more than blurry snapshots.
Many years ago, I ran across a poem, 'Footprints in the Sand', written by Mary Stevenson. It seemed so powerful and yet so comforting and I remember how strongly I felt about about giving it to my mother. I was working in ceramics at that time so I made up a ceramic wall plaque with the poem on it.
After her death, as we were getting her possessions in order, I noticed the plaque was still hung on the wall of the kitchen and asked the others if I could keep it.
Yesterday, I posted a poem sent to us on the 'Memories' page and when I read it, I knew what I wanted to put on the web site that would be from me. Below, I have paraphrased 'Footprints in the Sand', only slightly, to express how I feel. Everytime I read the original 'Footprints', it always tugged at my 'heart-strings'. Only now do I know why...
One night I had a dream that I was walking along the beach with my mother. Across the sky flashed scenes from my life. For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand; one belonging to myself, the other belonging to my mother.
When the last scene of my life flashed before me, I looked back at the footprints in the sand. I noticed that many times along the path of my life there was only one set of footprints, and that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times in my life...
This really bothered me and I questioned my mother about it. "Mom, you said that you'd walk with me all the way through my life but during the most troublesome times in my life, there is only one set of footprints. I don't understand why when I needed you most you would leave me."
My mother replied, "My precious, precious child. I love you and I would never leave you. During your times of trial and suffering, when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you."
I love you mom and look foward to the time when we meet again.
3/17/1999: I gave blood today... first time in many years. I thought that since mom was gone and she used to give so much blood (over 12 gallons), someone needed to carry on.
3/21/1999: We were at the beach today and I asked every sea gull I saw if they knew where Dorothy was. This is a bit of an inside joke. If you knew mom, you knew that she always held that she would be back as a sea gull after her passing. However, no one had seen her. Oh, well, I'll keep asking.
1/28/2007: Still giving blood. Up to 2 gallons. Wonder if I'll ever catch up to the high standard she set?