Mom

“Jeannie ... We had a great life!” When mom passed away, that’s the first thing I remember Dad saying to her. I was going to talk about that. How she lived their dream… her dream. How she and Dad met in California and within a few years, began to travel around the world. How she got to live in the tropics, and then in one of our most Northern states.  How she traveled to Asia and Europe and even lived in Italy. But what I believe mattered too her most was realizing her dream of moving back down South, being closer to her roots. She didn’t make it all the way back to her old stomping grounds, but close enough to visit whenever she chose. She was living her dream.

She may have traveled the world but her home was down South. When Mom talked about Cousins and Aunts and Uncles she grew up with and still kept in contact with, she always had that soft sweet look in her eyes. She’d lost her dad when she was so young. Her mom when she was just starting HS. You would think that would produce a bitter person in this world, thinking they were robbed of their childhood. But not my mom. Her experiences and memories shaped her to be the person she was,  thanks to her Grandmother and all those cousins and Aunts and Uncles and childhood friends she we was so lucky to have had around

When   Cherie passed…. We lost the nicest, sweetest person I ever knew. Well... sort of.   She got that from someone. That someone was her Mom. The past week the one common thing I’ve heard from friends and family reaching out to me... over and over,  I’ve heard a recurring theme... …. “She was my favorite Aunt”... “She was always so sweet”... “She was just the nicest person”. These weren’t just kind words provided in a time of pain….They were the truth... She is... the nicest, sweetest person... I’ve ever known… Well... almost….. She is one of two. And those two sweet caring people are no doubt….together right now… catching up... Smiling … and knowing... eventually... We’ll all be together again someday.

I’m at Peace…... and Mom’s at peace…. she’s truly back Home.