yesterday - 7 years - hardly seemed possible when it happened - still painful when thought about - dwelled on - she was born in artesia california - 1929 - when i think about her - i think what she must have been like then - in the land of make believe - and palm trees - i have a photo of her with nannie - her mother - who was just a child herself - unsure steps - 
i know the woman momma became - the one who taught us to play games of hide-n-seek when the electric company came and turned off the lights - games of make believe when the old television didn't work and games of 'when i grow up' when daddy stayed out drinking too late - she liked pretty things - and strong men - she loved children and good friends - i remember many things about her and miss her terribly - but one thing that sticks in my mind and i am not sure when i noticed this about her - but, when the food was scarce, she would suddenly be the one who wasn't very hungry - letting us kids eat first - i remember crying one time because she wouldn't eat and her sitting with me and sharing my plate of macaroni and cheese and how honored i felt -
when daddy died - rod and i lived in dallas - after the funeral we came back to dallas and i spent the next few days working on a tribute to him - i wrote a poem, created a shadow box with things that reminded me of him and a collage of photos - long story short - when momma died - i expected i would do the same for her - i just couldn't and still can't - that's a room i can't enter - right now.
i remember a conversation she and i had one afternoon over the phone - after we had to place her in the nursing home - when conversation would turn to her dying, she would say she was going to die and i would say no you aren't. and she would say - one day - and i would say - one day is a long way off. she paused and said toe - the way she did when she wanted me to listen or do something for her - i hoped she would say toe - i saw a pretty doll in the gift shop downstairs today - instead, she said that she knew i didn't want her to die and that she knew i loved her but when the time came - she said she wanted me to accept it. i will. i said - my throat choked up - she said she would still be around and whenever i needed to talk to her - to just close my eyes and know that she was in my heart and she was listening - somehow i croaked out - how - my roses - you'll smell my roses -
i am smellin the roses today, momma -
i love you.
emma jean moulder rash - momma - jan 6, 1929 - april 24, 2001
2 comments:
Hello! I found your blog through Garden Antiques. What a sweet tribute post to your beloved mother. You have me tearing up. Especially the last bit about smelling the roses. Reminds me of my sweet mama and her garden. I dread the thought of losing her and have nightmares about it. I am so lucky to have her and it sounds like you had a sweetheart of a mother also. So sorry for your loss.
Michelle xo
Hello There :) I was led to your blog via "Inside Self-Storage"; I too am from that world AND I'm a Texan as well! I live in Houston, if I've read correctly, down the road so-to-speak from you guy's. I'm a single-Mom w/my little-guy. I LOVE your writing's, your Mama was a beautiful person inside and out! I love my Mama and Daddy and am dreading the day when they pass - I too get a little "honry" when my Mom brings-up the fact that even though I know it's true, I hate to hear it - that she (and they) will be gone some day. But for now, well for now, we have now. :)
BTW I'm "Finallyfoundit" on the inside self-storage forum. :)
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