On the Precipice of Something Precious

On the Precipice of Something Precious

While preparing for a move, back to Arizona, home, family, most of all, back to mom, I reflect upon her pure goodness. I think there comes a time in everyone’s life, no matter the extent of the damage of childhood that mom becomes the most important person in our lives again…this is that time for me. She is nearly 84, crippled with Osteoarthritis, Osteoporosis and who knows what else and this renders her in pain every day and it breaks my heart. She has never had much, and three out of her four marriages were brutal, or rather, she was treated brutally by ugly-minded men. Like so many, until I grew up-(emotionally), I blamed, resented and punished her for the things that she couldn’t have done any different –she did what her mother did, and her mother’s mother before her- I punished her with years of drug addled lunacy-let her watch me shoot a quarter million dollar inheritance into my veins while promising to buy her that house she would have never been able to afford (never did get that house). For at least the past ten years, I have longed to be with her, to spend time with her, to take care of her, and due to circumstances beyond my control, the housing market crash, my own battle with cancer, etc.; it has taken longer to get to her. Her name is Stephanie, Stevie for short….she is perfect in my eyes –she is the most tolerant, patient, and humble person I have ever known, at the age of 70-something, she out-danced everyone at our wedding and was a great joke teller. She loves to read herself to sleep most nights…likes Dancing with the Stars, Grays Anatomy, American Idol, and Ozzy Osborne, and loves Judge Judy. She’s slower now, sometimes it’s difficult for her to get the words out...or remember what she had for breakfast or if she saw American Idol last night. What I know is that she is precious and the thought of hanging out with her is just about one of the best things I could ever ask for in this life. So, if you still have your mom – cherish her – we only get one!