My mom was a winner, in all respects! I spent a long weekend in my hometown of Lancaster, PA, at a highschool reunion, visiting with friends from LOOOOONG ago, relishing the fertile, brown soil (really) of my home turf. Truly one of the most beautiful farmlands anywhere and I’ve seen a few here, there and about.
Though my mom died nearly 12 years ago, I feel her presence everywhere when I visit ‘home’.
I was chatting with a friend this afternoon. She was telling me how 23 years ago at 5:05pm, (the very time we were speaking), she was getting married in a little chapel in Las Vegas, ‘The Little Church of the West!’ We were recalling good times with friends, with lovers, husbands. We reminded one another that whether things ended badly or not, the good times were just that and ALWAYS will be….not to be negated one iota with a sour event. Why should they be?
Life is an illusion of sorts. It is. Think about it. You see what you see because you want to see it that way. In time it might change, but, you see it how you see it.
As she was telling me this story, (turns out years later she learned her groom was already married….oops…a technicality). Just as we were sharing our stories, deciding to hold folks we have loved, (and possibly still do), in the light, she passed a church sign which read,
Forgive Everyone, Forgive Everything…Always and Forever!
We broke out in riotous gaffaws!
It reminded me of a story I wrote awhile back…
Mama Loves Jesus
My mother was raised Presbyterian though was more of a spiritual person than a religious one. Not a regular church goer, she instead communed with God while in nature or in the ordinary business of her life. I do remember however her disdain at the proselytizing folks in our community who rather pushed their brand of religion on their kindly neighbors. My favorite memory was when she’d picked me up at my best girlfriends home after a Saturday night sleepover.My best friend Liz lived in town and I was the country mouse. Unable yet to drive, Mom was my chaffeaur. As we drove out of town toward home one Sunday morning, I remember stopping at a traffic light. Ahead of us was a family, two adults and two children. They were no doubt on their way back from church. We both noticed at the same time that they had a bumper sticker which read, ‘Honk if you love Jesus.’
Before we could comment I saw that devilish spark in her eye. Hang oooon I thought. Without a moments notice, she laaaiiiid on the the horn of her aqua Thunderbird, ‘HOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNK!!!!” Everyone in the car turned and scowled the ugliest of scowls toward my mother and me. She beamed her characteristic BIG smile and waved happily, while it took the family in front of us a good 10 seconds to regain their composure, realizing that she was honking for her love of Jesus. On to the next light, dang if she didn’t do it again. Ohhhh, my mama loved Jesus.
BB Webb