Bonnets, Bow Ties, Birth, Death and Beautiful Things

"My mother, father and me
one Easter Sunday
in the Grandparents' yard ready
to hunt Easter Eggs with 
other cousins."

There's nothing like seeing all of the women in their finest hat wear on an Easter Sunday.  My mother greatly believed in new frocks, new hats and looking beautiful as you prepared to go to church and celebrate Jesus being reborn from his horrible death on the cross to save us from our sins.  Then, after church, retreating to the home place for a frantic Easter Egg Hunt with cousins and other relatives before a wonderful dinner at our Grandparents' home.  You can see by my face that the "dressing up" part did not appeal to the tomboy nature of me and the gloves especially annoyed this curious little girl.  But, I wore my bonnet and fidgeted through church until we could get home and I could run with others in the frantic hunt for something hidden and wonderful out in the yard.  Today, these hunts have even progressed to The White House and larger venues where children can share in the joy together, but we seem to have lost track of the reason that this effort was created -- and it was not to celebrate The Easter Bunny.

Sugar was always the major part of these festivities -- marshmallows, candied eggs, peeps, chocolate bunnies and other major sugary treats.  As a child, Easter became one of my favorite holidays because sometimes we were given little baby chicks - live ones - to raise as well as the Bible lesson that went with life after death.  How Jesus ever rolled that stone away after they placed him in his grave always mystified me.  And, the story of him dying on a cross never failed to make me cry because he always looked like such a kind and caring man who only preached love and peace for those who followed him.  He also stood up for those who could not stand up for themselves:  the Leper, the Prostitute, the Sick and the Meek.  He promised them all greater rewards in heaven if they would just follow his Father, the God up in heaven.

My mother and others in this area clung to that religious teaching.  It is part of being raised in the Belt Buckle of the Bible Belt in the Midwest.  Yesterday, my dear cousins' mother also went to Heaven.  I do believe there is a place beyond this life and, if you are a good person who repents their past behavior or sins, that you have a chance of going to that place with those who have gone before you.  This woman certainly was a true Christian in the best sense of the word:  caring, humble, supportive and loving of her family.  My mother also followed the teachings of the Bible.  She truly believed.

As I watched my two female cousins and their brother at the funeral and saw a slide show depicting this kind lady's life, it occurred to me how difficult it must have been for her to survive almost 12 years knowing she had cancer and that her time was limited.  When my mother passed, it was sudden in 2005.  She had been in ill health for years, but suddenly in May 2005, she suddenly went to the hospital from what was thought to be a blockage in her esophagus.  She never regained consciousness, because the blockage was a tumor.  And CT Scans discovered tumors in other parts of her body. Over the course of a week later it was discerned that her death was caused by a rapidly spreading form of ovarian cancer.  I never got to say a proper "goodbye" and thank her for being my mother.  Our time together was spent in trying to sit by her bedside, make decisions about what to do next with the doctors and decide what should be done to alleviate her pain.

My relatives had a long time to make peace with the fact that their mother was going into the next life, knowing that she was blessed and truly a good woman in good standing with God, her community, her family and those who loved her.  Cancer also took her away from this earth.  It also was the horrible disease that cut my mother's life short.  My mom taught me the phrase that when life gives you lemons, then you should make lemonade.  Lemonade is still one of my favorite drinks in the whole world and never fail to remember my mother when I order it in restaurants.  Sweet and sour, just like life can be.  Here's how you can courtesy of YouTube and Divas Can Cook.  Claim no copyright to this video whatsover, but this is a truly great recipe.  Mom would have appreciated it.

Easy Homemade Lemonade Recipe - Old Fashioned.

Author's Note:  Just a few thoughts on my mother's life after she left this earth and went on to the next place. These random thoughts were assembled into a journal after she died. Many thoughts put down while cleaning her closets and drawers in our family home to try and understand her life better. It is intended as a celebration and examination of how grief, your love and memories can all run tougher. Thank you for sharing and reading.