Several people have asked for a copy of the comments I made at my mothers ( Bobbie Burlingame) service so I decided to post them here, I miss you Mom. A meditation on my mother: Osiyo ! Let me tell you a story... My mother loved and doted on all her grandchildren. In particular, during this time, when she was so sick, and in and out of every type of medical facility she has commented many times about the medical aides who attended to her that they reminded her of her oldest grandchild, Abigail. When the nursing students would come in with their college logo scrubs , it reminded her of my middle daughter, Emily, who is in nursing school. During this time while she was sick, she was so happy to learn that my youngest daughter, Hannah, had been accepted to Fort Lewis college in Durango, Colorado, that she was pursuing her dreams to work in the Foreign Service. Mom was happy that in concert with Hannah’s hard work her Cherokee blood would help pay for this education. She was so happy that it seemed like we were going to be able to take Spring Break and visit the school with Hannah. But she became really, really sick, again. I didn’t want to leave, but she insisted. So I looked for a hotel for our stay in Colorado, I went online and plugged in all of my needs and tried several different things looking for the best deal (My mom would insist). The same hotel came up again, and again. The listing said it had a river view. I sent a special message and said that I would like a room with river access on the first floor, as I had my grandson in tow. We went by to see my mother one last time, she was so happy that we were going to go. Her great grandson was lifted for one last hug we all kissed her goodbye and we headed out to Colorado. On the way up there, as we were driving through the southwest indian lands , the phone rang and it was my aunt Ahniwake telling me the sad news that my beloved aunt Rena had died she too had been very, very ill. I had some small comfort to learn that my mother had been able to see her sister at the hospital one last time. As I hung up the phone, I saw the sign on the road on which we traveled that read “You Are Traveling On The Trail Of The Ancients.” We arrived at the hotel, the staff had given us the room with river access, and all of us went out and stood on the banks of the river, it was very, very, very beautiful. I thought, “my mother would love this.” That night, I was awoken by a phone call saying that my mother had passed. The following day I tried to keep on task and fulfill her wish that we would visit the school, and as much as I could, have a good time with my family, her family, now I felt she was walking with us. As we prepared for our return to home , I went out and stood in there in the twilight, in the river, reflecting on all that had happened. In my reflecting, I thought to myself about exactly where I was, this river is called the Animas. I went back through my eclectic collection of knowledge and remembered the meaning of the word Animas; Animas means the true self, as opposed to the self that you present to the world. It is the true you. In particular, it means the female aspects of the personality, particularly, as it shows up in a man. I thought to myself that my mother might not know the meaning of that word but she would know, and that I would, and she would know that I would know the meaning of the meaning, because that is exactly how she raised me. I reflected that her force in my life runs like this river, and runs forever through me, into my children, and into my grandchildren. It creates in me the deepest part of me , my truest self. Then I thought how all through the past, ...the women brought the true identity to this family, this community of love, acceptance, and compassion. That just like this river, the power of these women in this family flows true through all of us. This was my insight... Animas. The River. The beauty of the valley in which it flows. The Trail of the Ancients that we travel... You see In the Cherokee tradition, your identity, your Clan, it comes through your mother. As I stood on the river bank I reflected on all of my grandmothers, my aunts, and of course my mother. That there were responsibilities which they accepted for this family....most of all to keep it together and keep it true to itself. I would think that all the women here today understand what I am saying, that this is the true path and that it is hard work. These women , they did it, and they did it well. It is such a beautiful thing. I am so grateful for my Mother, and my Aunts, and for all of the women in this life who keep the family together and true. For all of those of you out there, who are not in my family, I wish all of you could experience what we have in this family, it is special and precious, and at my age I now know, so very rare. To be sure the men do great things, but none of it is ever possible without these women. It is my hope and prayer that like the river, it will flow on and on forever, the Animas. Thank you so much Mom, I love you. Wado
Posted on: Sun, 30 Mar 2014 01:52:33 +0000
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