Remembering mom

My mother passed away last Sunday. Yesterday was her memorial service.  What follows was my portion of her eulogy...

          Music—That is the first thing that comes to mind when I think of mom.  Growing up we had one of those stereos that was also a piece of furniture; and either the radio was on, or more likely a Johnny Mathis album.

          Mom loved music.  She played the piano, and she was a regular soloist at our church.  Her music came from her heart and was an expression of her love for life and for her Lord.

          And this love for music rubbed off on all of her kids.  My earliest memories of my brothers and sisters were of going into their rooms and looking through there albums, often making a mess of them I’m afraid.  Music always filled our house.   My first concert, probably when I was 11 or 12, was when Mom and Dad took me to see Johnny Mathis.

          On the British TV show Doctor Who, The Doctor is explaining life to his companion, he says, “The way I see it, every life is a pile of good things and bad things. The good things don’t always soften the bad the bad things, but vise versa, the bad things don’t necessarily spoil the good things or make them unimportant”

          Mom’s pile of bad things sometimes seemed large.  She broke her hip when I was in second grade; and then her back.  She was paralyzed from the waist down for awhile. These things would have brought many people down, but mom kept her mind on her pile of good things—her family, her love for dad, her faith in God.

          She lost her son John to epilepsy, and her son David left a few years later, choosing to sever family ties. Mom looked to her family that remained and a growing group of grand kids and drew strength from them.  No matter how much stuff was piled on mom’s pile of bad things, she kept her eyes on her pile of good things.

          In recent years, as her memories began to leave her, little things became important to her. Every Sunday when I’d talk to her after she’d been to church, she seemed to be a little better for the day, because the fellowship here added to her pile of good things.  A phone call from one of her kids or grand kids, pictures from her brothers, these added to her pile of good things.

          This February I had the chance to take mom to see Johnny Mathis in concert, returning the favor from that first concert 35 years ago.  Mom told everyone around us that she was there for her birthday, even though her birthday is in November.  I didn’t correct her; I let her have a great time on her birthday.  She smiled and she sang along with almost every song.  Mom had a great night, and this night added to my pile of good things.

          I love you momma. Thank you for the music.