This past holiday, my birthday through Christmas, has been a bittersweet time for me. It was my first birthday and Christmas without Mom and she was always the first to call. As the day approached, I was wishing I didn’t have to acknowledge it and maybe it would pass without anyone noticing. Then unexpectantly, my cousin Hank succumbs to pneumonia and was buried on my birthday. My heart was heavy. Just couple of days before my birthday, I went to my office here in my house to get a birthday card that I had previously purchased for someone and there on the shelf was a card that I thought was it. I pick it up and it says “To a Very Special Person” so I open it. As I read it, I felt my emotions building up until the tears fell. It was from my mom and I didn’t remember ever receiving it. My cousin Benita said maybe Mom left it for me to find because she was staying with me when she passed. I started to say no, I’m sure she didn’t but stopped because how else would a card be here that I don’t ever remember reading. I’d like to share the words within the card: “I want you to know how amazing you are. I want you to know how much you’re treasured and celebrated and quietly thanked. I want you to feel really good… About who you are. About all the great things you do! I want you to appreciate your uniqueness. Acknowledge your talents and abilities. Realize what a beautiful soul you have. Understand the wonder within. You make so much sun shine through, and you inspire so much joy in the lives of everyone who is lucky enough to know you. You are a very special person giving so many people a reason to smile. You deserve to receive the best in return, and one of my heart’s favorite hopes is that the happiness you give away will come back to warm you each and every day of your life. Thanks for All the Smiles You’ve Given Me.” She signs it with: “I found this card and thought they made this especially for you, and this is you. It says everything I think but can’t say. All My Love. Mom” I felt as if I had received a birthday card from her after all. As the day of my birthday dawned, I had so many surprises that I couldn’t believe it! I had never had a birthday like that before because it was always a week before Christmas, which was bad timing for everyone. My birthday started with Sugar being here and taking me to breakfast, and on our way out the door, I looked at FB and there was a surprise post from Gus of a surprise party she had for me in the 70’s, which made me laugh and very happy to see. Then I saw the post from Myra Dore with this huge gorgeous owl birthday cake on it; I loved it. These little surprises jump-started my day and it continued as I received almost a hundred birthday wishes from all my FB family and friends. I read some of the neatest and very meaningful things in those wishes. I felt so hugged by everyone! My heart was soaring in midst of my sadness of missing mom and Hank. The word Bittersweet entered my mind several times that day. My elderly neighbor gave me a birthday card with a Starbucks Card as a gift, which was another nice surprise. My brother, Marvin, was in Yakutat for Hank’s funeral but he called to wish me Happy Birthday and to let me know he and Tory and the kids were going to take me to dinner when he got back, which they did the day after he returned. They took me to my favorite Chinese restaurant and presented me with one of the best presents I could have hoped for - a mini-iPad2! I couldn’t believe it. What a huge surprise. My Niece, Christine, was there also and gave me a beautiful owl vase. My cousin Tina comes up and surprises me with several owl gifts in my favorite colors, then the day after comes a couple of presents in the mail from my very good friend, Augusta Milton and my cousin Andreya Valle. Wow, my birthday just kept going on and on! It continued right into Christmas as I received more nice gifts. It was just topped off with the special time I had with my cousins, Ria, Raymond and Linda Mae this past weekend! I just wish I could call my mom and tell her that one of her favorite hopes mentioned in her card came true! Somehow I think she knows.
Posted on: Mon, 05 Jan 2015 03:39:22 +0000
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