“You’re Mom. You’re Becoming Just Like Mom,“ My Sister Said.

May 11, 2017 | Published first in Words from Cana

“You’re becoming just like Mom,” my sister said.

A common worry among women.

I hope her words mean that I am learning to…

Pray like a warrior…like Mom, who prayed without fail for every test, track meet, heartache, and headache I ever shared with her. (And she continued to pray, not just for me and my nine siblings, but also for our spouses and 39 grandchildren until her passing last November.)

Anchor the family, and the family news…like Mom, who attracts calls from eight different cities and five different states, as we all check in to report on the breaking news in our lives.  It’s Mom who shares the stories with the general audience, providing commentary and perspective. (A “Mom update” has its own cachet, even if we just spoke with our siblings five minutes before.)

Keep everyone safe…like Mom, who still says, “Wear your seatbelt, watch out for black ice on the ridge road, don’t drink, take your vitamins, you’re not eating enough, you’re eating too much, slow down…” Her love put her protective instincts on steroids, and her words echo in our sleep. But we know, and she knew, that it was her prayers that kept us safe.

Love–by embracing sacrifice in order to give….like Mom, who woke up early to fry eggs and brown the bacon for my hungry brothers and stayed up late for kitchen-counter talk with us girls, or to finger the beads in prayer for the last one still out….who would forego the styles and clothes she loved to sign us up for horseback, figure skating, hockey, piano, and swimming… who gave up dreams so that we could pursue ours….who gave us her best time and energy, without counting the cost.

Am I becoming just like my Mom?  My kids should be so lucky.