Corner {Mother} View

Corner View was created by Jane at Spain Daily and is now hosted by Francesca.  It is bloggers from all over the world, posting photos of a specific weekly theme.  To join, just post to your own blog and then link up over at Francesca's Corner View for the week.  Then, visit the other Corner Views ... that's my favorite part !  Seeing the interpretations of the themes, visiting different cultures, learning something new !

This week's theme is mother ... I am mother to two amazing children.  One boy, Jono, and one girl, Alia.  But, I am not going to write about them.  Or me.

 

Instead, I am going to share with you an entry I made into my journal back in 2010.  I say journal like I write in it regularly.  I don't.  I wish I did.  But I don't.  I write when I am alone and can't express my thoughts to anyone else.  This was one of those times ...

I was on my way back to Australia, by myself, after 10 days in the States after the death of my beloved maternal Grandmother.  The journal entry explains the rest ...

I'm sitting here in the Detroit airport, June 10, 2010 waiting for my flight home.  I'll have a layover in LA and then I'll hopefully sleep from LA to Brisbane.  I can't wait to see my sweet babies and hug my Rory.  I've had such a full on, over the top, whirlwind (tornado!) week !!  I've barely had time to think, much less to get my thoughts on paper.  So, I thought I'd take a few minutes while everything is fresh in my mind to write them down. 

The purpose of this trip was to say goodbye to Grandma, to spend time with family and to help do a few practical bits and pieces that go along with the death of a loved one.  

What I learned on this trip only cemented what I have always known.  I am the LUCKIEST girl on the planet ~ though I know for a fact that luck has nothing to do with it.  I was reminded over and over of the incredible heritage I have or have come from.  I'm not sure which one it is but that's not important.  What is important is the legacy left for generations to come.  A rich heritage.  Traditions all our own.  Customs unique to our family.  And a love that cements us together and pushes us towards kindness, gentleness, self control.  

In a situation that had potential to ~ and often does in other families ~ tear us apart, we became closer, as if that was even possible.  Tears, consideration, hugs, compassionate knowing looks, generosity, selflessness, laughter ~  these are the things I experienced.  These are the memories I'll treasure.  There are the characteristics I'll endeavor to instill in my children.  Honesty, integrity, respect, these too were present in abundance.  

Watching the example of my grandma and grandpa's daughters ~ my mom and her sisters ~ in the very raw stages of grief, as they walked through each day, one step at a time, leaning on each other, and their husbands, and us ~ their children,  showed me the 'end game'.  It has given me a perspective on parenthood that I didn't have before.

Reflecting on the life my grandma in her role as mother and watching the children she (and grandpa) raised, after she was no longer there to have input, really struck me.  My job as mother is to teach, to instill, to do my best.  She did that and they are incredible women because of her (and grandpa !!) I haven't expressed that as clearly as I see it with the eyes of my heart ~ I may try again later.  

At every single moment ~  the most ~ the only important thing to each of the sisters ~ was their relationship to each other.  I count it among my most treasured 'things' taken from this week, the opportunity to witness that, alongside my siblings and ALL of my cousins. God help us to remember that in the years to come and to always make that OUR priority too ...