I Didn't Forget Valentine's Day

I thought about it for days...and my plan was to write a special message for my husband even though he only reads my blog if I force him to.  There is a reason why I have to force him.

During the 80's I wrote a humour column in a small town newspaper (The Mackenzie Times).  I didn't earn much money but I truly enjoyed the challenge of trying to come up with something humourous every week.  I spent hours and hours consuming gallons of coffee and (I hate to admit this) smoking many cigarettes while pounding out (hopefully) humourous anecdotes on my typewriter.  Once I had it pretty much finished  I would re-type it nicely and then get my husband to read it.  He was my laughometer.  Sometimes he would snicker to himself.  Other times he would chuckle quietly.  And best of all, sometimes he would laugh himself sick and pound his fist on the table. If he didn't laugh at all I would get discouraged and force him to read it again and tell me where I went wrong.  Those were trying times for him.  When I think about it now, I guess it was a bit like me asking him once a week if this made me look fat.  He wanted to laugh in all the right places, but sometimes he just had to be honest and tell me it just wasn't all that funny.

I appreciated him then and I appreciate him now even though he gets a little nervous if I mention my blog.

And that's how true love works.  You support each other through laughter and tears; through good times and bad ones. At times honesty is difficult but necessary and if something makes me look fat, I want to know....
gently...with a quiet chuckle......

I guess this is my special Valentine message...............

Happy Birthday Mom...

Today I went for a drive out to Abbotsford. The trees look amazing right now. All red and bright yellow, almost sending out their own light.

I feel bad admitting that I'd almost forgotten it was my mom's birthday, but seeing the leaves reminded me. I love crisp autumn days when the sun shines so bright and the air smells so...autumnish. Memories flooded over me and I remembered. It was very fitting that my mom was born in October because I know how much she loved autumn with its sights and smells.

It was simple things like red leaves turning crispy and frost on trees that made her happy. Thinking of her today made me realize (again) how much I miss her.

I don't think you ever get over losing your mother. It's something I used to think about often when I was a kid. I'd think (usually at night just before drifting off to sleep)"what if my mom died"? and sometimes I would cry just at the idea of knowing she no longer existed.

It's been eight years now since she passed away, and I still have this sadness in my heart. I still long for the chance to say good-bye to her and I wish I would have told her how much she meant to me...in spite of all her faults (and mine)...

I know how common this is. I don't know how many times I've heard people say they wish they would have told someone how much they loved them when they had the chance.

So...here's your chance. Quick. Before the leaves fall, please tell your mom how much you love her.