I can still hear her say those words as she smiled and hugged me goodbye. She would always say that whether I was leaving from a visit or we were hanging up on the phone. And I can’t remember when exactly she started to say it, I just remember that she always did.
And that was how Mom was, always saying sweet things like that. And I miss her. Yesterday was the 3rd anniversary of her passing, and I wonder if I will ever get over her being gone. It still feels so foreign having her gone.
The first anniversary was by far the hardest. That year I went to the beach, wrote her a letter, swam out in the ocean and released it to a big wave to deliver to her. Last year I wrote another letter and went sky diving, releasing the letter at 14,000 feet, closer to Heaven. When I was thinking about when to do for this year, I heard her voice whisper “Take care of you for me.”
And so I did. It was a total day of pampering at the spa. Everything relaxing and holistic and comforting, taking care of me for her. And while I was sad, and cried, I knew that I was doing as she wanted.
Because the fact is that there is no one else like your Mom. No one will ever love you like she does, and no one will ever comfort and care for you like her either. And so I have to take care of myself, because no one is their to pick up the pieces should I fall apart. Because no one will ever love you like your Mom.
I’m so the day went. A day of pampering, and meditation, and gratitude for the gift of having such a wonderful mother. The gift the heartache of grief now that she’s gone, because that meant we truly loved each other and had such a wonderful close relationship. And being thankful for the gift she taught me of taking care of myself as an expression of love but not only for myself, but for her as well. After all, part of living a good life, and living a life well-lived, is also taking care of yourself emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually. That is another lesson she taught me, among the many many pieces of wisdom she imparted upon me.
Life is short. Love your parents, love your friends, love those around you with all of your heart. And take care of yourself for them, because those are the people who love you best, who love you the most, and he will probably loved you the longest.
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