Goodnight Irene

One of my favorite poets once wrote, “Time stands still best in the moments that look suspiciously like ordinary life.”  No one knew this better than my mom.  My mom saw the beauty in things that most people wouldn’t notice.  Did you know that my mom loves trees?  Every time she saw a beautiful, twisted trunk, or roots reaching from beneath the ground, she would stop immediately to take its picture.  Or maybe you weren’t aware that mom would go out of her way not to kill a living object, regardless of how creepy or crawly it was.  As a kid, I would be so grossed out watching her secure a critter with her hands or a cup and gently escort it outdoors to its safety.  As an adult, I simultaneously smile and roll my eyes as I find myself doing the same thing, thinking of all the creatures I’ve saved in her honor.  And to mom, there was no moment too small, no moment too insignificant, no moment too ordinary that it didn’t deserve to be captured by camera, frozen in time for us to enjoy again and again.

Yes, my mom was able to appreciate the ordinary, but my mom was far from ordinary.  In fact, she was extraordinary.  I’ve spent a lifetime wondering if there was anything she couldn’t do.  For over 30 years, I’ve looked on in awe at the woman who has been, not only the rock of our family, but seemingly the rock for so many of you, as well.  And while I know each of us has a story of how she has touched our lives or how she has helped during a time of need, mom’s extraordinary impact goes far beyond what she has done for each of us.  Mom’s lasting impact is in the way she could light up any room with her smile or squeeze away any worry with her hugs.  Her legacy is her ability to see the positive in every situation and in each one of us.  But mostly, her legacy is in her capacity to love, and especially the love she showed our family.  To my dad – for over 36 years, she stood by your side, loving you unconditionally and fully through everything life and marriage could send your way.  To my brother – we couldn’t have asked for a better mother.  That’s evident in the amazing man, husband and father you are today.  And to my Kayla – Gum’s angel – there are no words to describe what you meant to her.  No words to describe how much she loved being your grandmother, a role in which she was truly extraordinary.

So, in honor of my mom, I ask each of you to consider the following:  Maybe what made my mom so extraordinary was her ability to fully embrace the ordinary that most of us take for granted each day.  So, today: stop.  Stop in your tracks; look around.  Find that which is most suspiciously ordinary and give it extra consideration.  Listen for my mom’s voice.  She’ll guide you right to what is most beautiful about it, and I promise you, it’ll be extraordinary.