This week’s reflection is short, but one I hope will prompt you to reach back into your memory and pull down a phrase that’s stuck with you longer than you imagined—a sentence to remember. Here’s what inspired mine.
Last weekend was unlike any other for me, never to be 
forgotten. Family and friends had traveled (three states and three thousand miles) to my home for a special Mother’s Day gathering. I’d been preparing for weeks. The yard was freshly mowed and mulched. The deck was power washed and the gutters cleaned. Menus were planned, linens selected, and color-coordinated flowers arranged. My azaleas decided to show their finest hues and even the weather, glorious sunshine despite predicted rain, cooperated.
But my body didn’t.
A relentless illness shot through my best plans and others’ beautiful surprises, sidelining me to the confines of my room for the entire weekend. I missed hello hugs, goodbye kisses, and holding my precious grandbaby, Blakely Faye.
As the weekend progressed, I thought of my mom and missed her gentle presence, her grace. The stillness in my room amidst the outside hubbub reminded me of the days of physical therapy following my paralysis, when my body’s immune system inexplicably attacked itself, refusing to cooperate with all medical interventions. Mom would sit with me, comforting me after the exhausting therapy sessions. As I struggled with limits beyond my control, she watched my disappointment deepen. Then her words came to the rescue.
Becky, honey, I think you’re doing mighty well.
I can’t help but smile every time I say that sentence out loud. You’re doing mighty well. So earnest. So warm. So loving. I’m not sure it resonates with others the way it does with me. Nevertheless, for me, it’s a sentence to remember.
How about you? Do you have a sentence from your mom that encourages you? A little saying or phrase that gives you just the right amount of pick-up? Tell me about it. I’d love to know. I’ll share them in next week’s column.
Meanwhile, I’m still on the mend. Still mostly hanging out in my bedroom, sipping tea and munching on toast and crackers. And I haven’t had a coffee in almost two weeks! Now that’s something to write about. Maybe next time.
Until then. . .
My best—always,
Becky (Nana B)
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