Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Happier Times

Today would have been my mother's 75th birthday. Hard to imagine. She was just a couple of years older than I am now when her MS advanced to the point that she needed nursing home care, and only 63 when she died. That seems so much younger now than it did then!

This photo is four generations, my grandmother on the left, my oldest brother, his brand new son, and my mother on the right. She was 40 in this photo. I remember her lamenting that, at 40, she was too young to be a grandmother. I rolled my eyes, as I recall, but I can certainly relate now. I'm ten years older than she is in this picture and I know I'm not ready for grandchildren.

She knew she had MS when this picture was taken, but it hadn't really slowed her down yet. It would be 10 or so years later when she was immobilized. I like to remember her as she is here. Healthy, glowing with pride, beautiful.

Happy birthday, mom. . .

2 comments:

Pam J. said...

Sweet picture, sad story. Happy Birthday to your mom. My mother -- whose birthday will be in 3 days -- also died way too young by today's standards. If she hadn't been felled by a massive stroke she would be turning 90, an age both her mother and grandmother made easily. You just never know. MS is a cruel disease and one that scientists still scratch their heads over.

Anne Cassidy said...

What a lovely, warm photograph. Your mother is beautiful. I'm sorry you lost her so young.