Tuesday, January 09, 2007

Happy Birthday Mom....I Miss You!



















Today is my mother's birthday. She was born January 9, 1914 and said good bye to us on January 6, 2001. She taught me so much about life and how to live with grace and dignity. The following quote arrived in my email this morning and I thought to myself, "How well this fits my mother!"

"The art of living lies less in eliminating our troubles than in growing with them." (Bernard Baruch)

Her name was Margaret and she had a way of being with you. She always made you feel like you were important to her.....like the things you were saying had value...and her face...her beautiful face showed such emotion. I have yet to figure out how she communicated with so few words sometimes.

When she faced adversity she would often say, "It's just another role to play!" You see, she loved acting..and could have gone to New York City to study. Someone from her home town offered to send her free of charge. She chose instead to stay in her small town in Wisconsin, marry my father and have three daughters. I often think she played that role of wife and mother to a standing ovation.

In her later years when her health began to fail, I would go to multiple doctor's appointments with her. I would wheel her down the hallway in her wheelchair and once we got to the waiting room she would find someone to talk to and soon there would be some acknowledgment of, "I know what you are going through", the touch of a hand and a smile of understanding and encouragement. Never once did I experience my mother feeling sorry for herself. No....that simply wasn't her way!

I was in awe of her, proud of her and ever so glad and proud to be her daughter.

I love you mom, and I miss you! We all miss you! Happy birthday!

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Judy, I would have to say that you are certainly your mother's daughter. So many qualities you admire in her, I have experienced in you. I'm sure youdo miss her very much.

Anonymous said...

I believe that she is still playing a role today...she plays a role in how we live our lives...

Anonymous said...

I miss her, too!! I've been thinking about her a lot these last few days, and saw her in my dream the other night. Grandma was an amazing person, that's for sure. And you are definitely your mother's daughter. And I am yours. xo

Anonymous said...

I miss her too. And I have been thinking about her too, and her birthday. This is a very nice post. Nice pictures. I always smile when I see that picture of Grandma. I have it on my fridge. She was an amazing woman who raised an amazing daughter, who then passed it on to her kids. I hope I can pass some of that along to my own kids.

Judy Roo said...

thank you esther...that was really nice of you to say and I do miss her....funny thing is I keep seeing her in all kinds of places and in all kinds of ways..she still makes her presence known..I love that!

Judy Roo said...

you are absolutely right adam..

Judy Roo said...

makes me smile sarah...I love it when I dream about grandma..she is always younger and can walk...she was an amazing person and there is a thread that runs between us all..she touched all your kids lives in her own special way..in my mind's eye I can see images of her with all of you..

Judy Roo said...

kara......you already have passed it on to your children...their love and appreciation of family...and awareness and expression of feelings..boy..I couldn't ask for more wonderful children or more wonderful grandchildren...all eight of them..I'm glad you liked the post honey..I love the pictures too..