It is with such grief and heartache that I say farewell to my dearest, loving Mom today. The most difficult part of living so far away for the past 12 years has been the physical distance between us and the rest of the family. In so many of our phone calls, we would exchange our "I love you's" and I would add, "Don't worry, Mom. I'm only a day away." And now, in this current pandemic, I'm more than just a day away and that is heart-wrenching for me. I'm so sorry! Know that you will always be with me, and I will always strive to carry out the life lessons you've taught me, for the rest of my life. These are:
1. Family is everything! Whether connected by blood, or a strong and faithful friendship, these relationships are everything. Treasure them, value them and fight for them if need be. But, family loyalty, should always be a priority.
2. Be honest, have integrity and compassion! Be kind. Be generous. Be gentle. And when things don't go well in life, be forgiving!
3. Stand up for yourself. Don't let anyone tread on your self-respect. Stand up for yourself and those you love.
4. A good cup of tea (any time of the day) and a home-made slice of pie, cheesecake, brownie, banana bread, bran muffin or bread pudding, will make everything all right.
5. And finally, at the end of the day, when your head meets your pillow, tell your self and God, "I've done my best."
