By G. E.
Shuman
For the past week, my family and I have
been enjoying a summer visit from my mom. Mom stays with us for a week or so each
summer and then moves on to Maine to visit two of my sisters and their families
who live there. This time of year, she flies to the North from her home in
sunny Florida, avoiding both that state’s very hot summers and our very cold
winters. She is a smart lady.
She’s also an amazing lady. You might
remember from a previous article or two my mentioning that my wife and I have
both recently retired. This means that we’re not exactly newlyweds or teenagers
anymore. This also means that my mom isn’t either. (I think she needed to be
born several years before me to be able to give birth to me, but I’m no
doctor.) In support of this idea, last February she celebrated her 95th
birthday. Her party was a blast! I was there and I actually have pictures of
her at that party, playing the bongos and doing the limbo (Not at the same
time, but let’s give her a break.) while her younger guests were sitting around
eating cake! Last December she was also seen sitting on Santa’s lap, and just two
years ago was caught on my sister in law’s Harley, helmet and all!
Mom lives by herself in her own home,
although a few male suitors have recently attempted to change that. She was driving
her car until a few months ago and still makes her yearly flights north and
south, by herself. (Just between you and me, I think she likes that the
airports have her use a wheelchair. They take her right to her gate and she’s
always the first one on and off the plane.) Like I said, she’s a smart lady.
This amazing woman lives on coffee,
donuts, hotdogs, etcetera, (She’s not exactly a health food nut.) and always
has a whole drawer full of chocolate in her kitchen for those male suitors to
get into when they visit. (She is often teased that her REAL boyfriend is named
Russell Stover.) Mom loves a breakfast of eggs, toast, and home fries at almost
any “old-fashioned diner” as she calls them. (We’ve visited The Wayside twice
this week. Great food!) With all of this, she amazes her doctors with her low blood
sugar, perfect blood pressure, great cholesterol levels, and general good health.
Amazing!
To me, most of all and best of all is
my Mom’s great attitude and outlook on life. Those things are probably why she
is still going strong. Although her body is in constant pain from arthritis, her
mind is as sharp as a tack. Despite her pain, Mom will always have a smile for
you. She tells perfect strangers how good God has been to her, and always finds
the good in others, too. Looking on the bright side doesn’t seem to be a choice
to her, it is a way of life. I wish I was more like her.
Readers, I know this has been a
personal column, and I hope you understand why I chose to write it. I mean
sincerely that if we were all a bit more like my mom the world would be a much
better place. Besides, it’s hard to not brag when you have just been visited by
the best mother on the planet.
I love you Mom. Please come to Vermont
again soon!
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