Honoring the Legacy of My Mother

Every year on Mother's Day, I honor my mother’s legacy by embracing the memories of the wonderful woman she was. I was lucky to have been born to someone that gave me so much as a child for she made me into the woman I am today. I was loved, spoiled, disciplined, encouraged, mentored, supported, cherished and respected throughout my life by my beautiful mother and I will always be grateful for all she sacrificed to be able to give me the life I had growing up.

She was my best friend…..funny, sarcastic, smart, bossy, giving, loud, adventurous, entertaining and always made me feel special even when she was yelling at me….lol. My mother had a lot of friends, was active in my school and social life, enjoyed dancing, singing, playing cards, smoking, traveling in her Lincoln Continental, took me on many mini vacations and threw lots of parties at our home. She was a lot of fun…… called me Princess…. I called her Queen….. she gave me life, she made my life and I cared for her at the end of her life. When she left this earth at 69 years old I was very sad but had a sense of relief that God took her out of the cancer ridden body she was in and did not make her suffer long. I wanted her spirit to be free again to dance in heaven and watch over me like she has my whole life. If I could have chosen anyone in this world to be my mother I still would have chosen her. She left this earth early but only in the physical sense, her spirit and love are with me always. The day of her passing was on October 25th 2003 and this poem was part of the service that honored the memory of Evelyn Dema, the Queen of my Heart!

When I must leave you
For a little while-
Please do not grieve
And shed wild tears
And hug your sorrow to you
Through the years,

But start out bravely
With a gallant smile;
And for my sake
And for my name
Live on and do
All things the same,

Feed not your loneliness
On empty days,
But fill each waking hour
In useful ways,

Reach out your hand
In comfort and in cheer
And I in turn will comfort you
And hold you near;

And never, never
Be afraid to die
For I am waiting for you in the sky!