A Piece of Advice

I've been missing my mom really bad the last few days. There's no special reason - no upcoming anniversary or event that should necessarily trigger the sadness. Perhaps packing for our upcoming move is reminding me that life is moving on without her in a way that I didn't think was possible when she died. Whatever the reason, I've been pining for her the last week or so.

Today in the mail, I got 2 $.01 books that I ordered from amazon, both by the same author. The first is called Motherless Daughters and the second is Letters from Motherless Daughters - both put together by Hope Edelman. They are suggested reading from the online grief email group I belong to. As I was reading through Letters from Motherless Daughters this afternoon, I was surprised by the number of women who'd written of regrets they had about not telling their mothers that they loved them enough. I realized that I was extremely blessed because not one time did this regret cross my mind. Ever since I went away to college, I never talked to my mother without telling her that I loved her. Never.

Which brings me to the advice promised in the title. It's something I've said before but it's worth repeating. Say, "I love you." Say it as often as you can, to as many loved ones as you can. As awful as it was losing my mother, I can't imagine how I'd feel if I felt that I hadn't said "I love you" enough. I know from experience that sometimes you don't have any warning when bad things are going to happen. This is one regret that very glad I live without.

“Spread love everywhere you go: First of all in your own house... let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God's kindness; kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile, kindness.” -Mother Theresa