February 24th marked 1 year of the passing of my mom. For those of you new to this blog, my mother, Kathryn, succumb to a rare form of colon cancer last year just 2 months after her diagnosis.
I’ve thought about what I would write here…and IF I would even write here…in reflection. And as it turns
out, just as the 24th of February passed, I received word that my very first by-lined article in both the print and on-line edition of a widely distributed NY Metro publication had gone live.
And I’ll give you one guess what my very first published story was about…..yup, my mom.
At my core, I’m a writer. And while I shouldn’t need a paycheck or seeing my name on a byline as validation, I have to say, I do feel more “official.”
I also don’t believe it’s a coincidence that the story would hit the week of my mom’s 1 year anniversary. I do believe that her guiding force and positive energy is still quite palpable despite her not physically being here any longer. And that she wants to see “only good things for her girl” (her words, not mine).
So to honor mom’s 1 year in heaven, I share with you “What Remains…A Local Mother on Love, Loss and Parenthood” that can be found in the March 2015 issue of Bergen/Rockland Parent (a New York Metro publication) and on NYMETROPARENTS.COM.
Link to story: http://www.nymetroparents.com/article/essay-on-loss-and-parenting#.VPG9pFqRLdk
oxox
-mom a la mode
Lisa,
What a beautiful tribute to your mom. You and your family are always in our thoughts and prayers. I always think about my dear friend and all our long conversations of loving our family, friends and life which generally took over an hour. As I said to you before, when I close my eyes I can see your mom and I laughing and sipping a cup of tea together and every day when I have a cup of tea I smile and remember her beautiful face.
Our Love Always,
Aunt Karen, Uncle Rich and Greg xoxo
A beautiful woman inside and out! Her faith is tremendous and I say “is” as she will always be around as our angel to listen to us. My love to all of you! I can’t wait to sit and share my stories about your mom. Lori
Thanks, Lori. I am looking forward to hearing your stories and staying connected. xoxo
Lisa, I just read your beautiful article. And, yes, my dear Lisa, she is a guiding force and will always be for you and for so many of us who had the privilege of having her touch our lives. She is beaming with pride for sure.
I love you and I am sending you one of my hugs.
Aunt Fe
Thanks, Aunt Fe. Love you AND your hugs more than you know xoxo
Xoxo
Thank you xoxo
You my dear are amazing! Your thoughtful way of talking through something that is so painful and still fresh is admiring. Your mom is most definitely sending her smiles through the universe to you. Love you!!!
Thank you, M. Love you back! xoxo
That was such a beautiful tribute to your mom and absolutely made me tear up. It’s just not fair that you lost her so young and so quickly. Your story about your son reminded me of the Cheerio’s commercial where the little boy commented how the cereal was grandma’s favorite and so eating them was like she was there with them.
My mom’s parents both passed within a few months of each other. I don’t remember my grandmother much (she was in a nursing home with Alzheimer’s since I was a baby) and my grandfather passed after complications from emphysema shortly after (though we know it was from a broken heart). He was a weekly presence in our home, and towards the end of his life he moved in with us. After he died, I used to take a quarter to church each week to “call” my Pop Pop since I really thought he might hear me. I still miss him dearly, and as a tribute to his legacy of love and family, my first born daughter carries his surname as her middle name. My mom was 40 when both her parents died and was such a rock for us. I don’t remember any change in the way she was . She had to be strong for the 3 of us who didn’t know how to deal with our first major loss. And as I get closer to the age she was when she lost her parents, I think a lot about what she went through and the massive gaping whole that was left in her heart. Facebook has actually been a blessing for my mom to reconnect with cousins and family, where they share old pictures and memories of all of their parents (Irish Catholic family so lots of kids! haha).
Thank you, Hilary, for sharing this. And that Cheerios commercial sounds vaguely familiar to me — I’d like to search and see if I can find it online somewhere. Thank you, again, for sharing here xo
This this article is beautiful and of course it made me cry. And I know that your mother is with you and making things happen for you. She loved her family so much!!
Thank you, June xo