God bless my mom

I opted out of Sunday Stills today, mostly because today is Mother's Day, and I am missing my mom. I just can't get all fired up about doors and doorknobs as a subject for photography when I am thinking about my mom, and how I wish I could have been a better daughter to her, spent more time with her like my sister did, helped her more like my brother did, helped her financially like another sister did, loved her unconditionally like another sister does. I loved my mother, but kept at a distance from her, too busy with my own life and my own problems, selfish, willing only to do the minimal in keeping in touch. It was only in her last two years of life that I lived close enough to visit regularly, and even that I didn't do as much as I should have. 

Mom always prayed for all her children, and did penance for us. She had a very strong faith and deep love of God all her life. I think it's her prayers that brought me back to the church, after many years of a rather hedonistic lifestyle. She set a good example for us, and did her best to teach us right from wrong. She lived a hard life of poverty, and I never heard her wish for better things or complain that life was too hard; she'd just bear down and do whatever needed to be done.
I think that she found peace shortly before she died; the poem on my sidebar, "Happy Heart" was written by her about a month before she died.
Cherish your parents, and take the time to tell them you love them. They are a part of you as you are of them, and their passing takes part of you with them .