Mom

My mom is the best. She's great fun, a serial shopper, always upbeat, makes friends wherever she goes, loves to watch her teams (Detroit), is generous in all ways, is always there for you, likes practical jokes, will try anything once, and is a self acclaimed "fast food junkie". She's not a good cook, is disorganized, has no sense of direction and is tone deaf. She's getting old, becoming forgetful, and is slowing down. I love her dearly. She lost the love of her life two years ago. My dad was one of a kind, an absolute gem, he was everything, and more. They met on my mom's first big job after graduating high school. She was a secretary for General Motors at the age of 17. My dad was an accountant there, and 7 years older. On her very first day, my dad asked her out. She said she had a boyfriend and couldn't. She then promptly broke up with her boyfriend. Two days later, she told my dad she broke it off. He then asked her out for that night. The rest is history. They were married 59 years. Just missed 60. My dear dad died in his sleep after an operation they said went well. I will never, ever forget that day. That phone call. The funeral. All of it. We worried about my mom. Could she carry on? Would she carry on. How would she cope. She seemed so frail. The first few months were rough. She was lost and cried at the drop of a hat. But, little by little, she found her way. She always said my dad would not be happy if she fell apart. She didn't fall apart. She kept going. She talks to his pictures, and to him, constantly, but she has kept going. She's taken care of things she never had to think about before. She's still bargain shopping and playing bingo. She's still watching all her sports teams and American Idol. She still takes the train to Chicago and walks to the nearby stores. She does not walk near as far on Michigan Avenue as she once did, but that's ok. She's still doing it. She wants a laptop. She loves Barack Obama because he is "cute". She flirts. And, she moved. That's huge. She has moved to assisted living, very close to my oldest brother in Cincinnati. She has kept going. She did not fall apart. I'm so proud of her, and amazed by her. I think it would be very very hard to be with the same person for 59 years and lose him. To be left alone at the age of 80. I think this is bad, but THAT...wow. So, today is about my mom. Because she keeps going. And in doing so, she keeps ME going. She's my inspiration. I just got back from visiting her in her new home. She's been there two weeks and is already a favorite. We shopped, alot. We saw a movie. We stayed up late watching tv. I got her out walking. I wore her out. We laughed. We had fun. I love you, Mom.