22 years ago my mother, whose frailty, masked by optimism and confidence, approached the National Christmas tree in D.C, wanting a last glimpse on Christmas Eve. Christmas, the spirit that lived in my mother’s heart each day, was her favorite holiday, where family came together and whose mantra in life was, “love—the greatest gift of all.” Looking at the tree, she marveled at its beauty. When she looked to her left, however, she noticed something—a homeless man who, just like her, was there to look at the tree. But what caught her eye is that he was crying. My mother, always with an empathetic disposition, approached him, asking what was wrong. He replied that he had never seen something so beautiful. My mom asked where he would stay that night. He replied that he didn’t have a place to stay but that he would be OK. My mom told him to please wait by the tree, and planned to return with some money. My mom ran as fast as she could on a desperate mission to help someone in need. But, when she returned the man was already gone. In tears, she sat down, filled with emotion that she was unable to help this man. Six months later, my mom passed away from a rare cancer that plagued her for years. Until her last day, she was always reaching out a hand, to whomever in need, her calling, I believe to always serve others in the spirit of the Lord. The beauty of my mother was that despite her rigorous cancer treatments, she never thought of herself. She only thought of others, the true epitome of kindness, compassion. She taught us all about the gift of love, and our hearts will never fully heal from her loss. We are sad for the time we have missed together, but are eternally grateful for the time we did. Rest in peace, Mom. Darlene Alexis Melnkovic July 31, 1992
Posted on: Thu, 31 Jul 2014 14:19:20 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015