My Second Favorite Memory of Mom

Sometime ago, I wrote about my favorite memory of my mother. It involved a cat and if you missed it, I'm sorry. I am currently too lazy to look that one up and give you the date to find it on EndangeredSwimmer. This little piece is about my second most favorite memory of the women whose influence I still feel everyday of my life. An odd thing about this memory is that Mom wasn't even in it. It is an anecdote my sister, Carol, told me about during the last few months of Mom's earthly life.

We-- us, my sister and I, plus some hired sitters-- were staying with Mom 24/7 during that time. Twice a week I stayed all night. For a long time those duties were not too strenuous. I would come in about 6:00 p.m., get Mom's meds together, fix or buy her supper, feed her and administer her medications. After that, I usually watched television until bed time.

Gradually, however, staying the night meant working the night, all night. I'll spare you the details. Eventually, my sister, who did all the scheduling, took me off the night shift. Mom was not happy about this. When she protested, Carol asked her, "Do you think it is fair for Zane to stay up with you all night and then go to work the next day." To that she replied, "Yes."

I promise, I not only laughed out loud then when Carol told me that, but now several times per week it crosses my mind and it always produces a chuckle. Often, after the chuckle, I tear up because it reminds me of how much she loved me, us, all her children. She wanted me around. No matter how bad her health grew and how old I became, I was always her little fair-haired boy, and nothing was going to change that. That is what makes mothers, and mine in particular, so special. They love. And that love continues to minister to its recipients long after they are gone.