The bitterest tears shed over graves are for words left unsaid and deeds left undone

[Amused]

Update: 12/25

I had no idea how hard Christmas would be, or how nearly every holiday memory, tradition and feeling is tied directly to my mother.

There is no Christmas this year. Can't even begin to try, it's too painful. No tree, no music... only tears.

--------------------------

Mom

Already I catch myself
thinking, "When I phone,
I can talk of this or that!"
Then remember, I'm alone.

She was always there
to answer my calls -
To listen to my "small talk"
or when I climbed the walls.

At times, I didn't feel like talking
and somehow, she understood -
Didn't say she wished I'd call
or make me feel like I should.

Now, I wish I could have
more time to show I cared -
To say just how important
were all those times we shared.

I could have shown my love
so much more than I did -
I never did it enough
even when I was a kid.

Now it's too late to do or say
all those things I wish I had -
No way to ease the pain inside
when my heart is cold and sad.

She was my "anchor" to this life -
The "rock" that I clung to ?
The place where I could turn
when nowhere else would do.

Now, the ravages of smoking
have worn my "rock" away -
And all I have to cling to
are memories of yesterday.

Jeanne Gates
August 7, 1930 - October 17, 2008
You will live forever in our hearts.




Troll messages have been removed. Please have the good taste and good sense not to add any more.

Perknose
Senior AT Mod

 

[Sheepathon]

You go through life and you never tell people how much you care about them. People should probably do that more.

 

[wwswimming]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adYbFQFXG0U

Christian the Lion. purchased as a baby cub at a department store
in London. released into the wild when it got too big.

the video is about what happens next.

don't worry, not gory or graphic. more in the category of Feel Good.
+ what the OP said.

 

[manlymatt83]

Originally posted by: wwswimming
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adYbFQFXG0U

Christian the Lion. purchased as a baby cub at a department store
in London. released into the wild when it got too big.

the video is about what happens next.

don't worry, not gory or graphic. more in the category of Feel Good.
+ what the OP said.

I shed a tear

 

[edro]

Beautiful poem. I need to call my mom.

 

[Pepsei]

tried to call her right now, but it's only 8pm in Taiwan, I think she's still out shopping with dad.

 

[rasczak]

I know how you feel OP. I lost my Mom five years ago, and it still feels like it happened yesterday. My condolences to you and your family.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: wwswimming
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adYbFQFXG0U

Christian the Lion. purchased as a baby cub at a department store
in London. released into the wild when it got too big.

the video is about what happens next.

don't worry, not gory or graphic. more in the category of Feel Good.
+ what the OP said.

:roll:

 

[JulesMaximus]

Amused, my Dad had a heart attack last year and underwent a quintuple bypass. I haven't been good at keeping in touch with him since...well, since I was in my teens really. Anyway, I flew back east to see him before his surgery, and I'm glad I did. It went well and we said we would keep in touch more but we really haven't.

I guess what I'm trying to say is to try not to feel regret. Try to remember the good things, the positive things you shared in your lives. The pain will pass, honestly, the thing that is most telling of how close you really were with your Mom is the amount of grief and pain you feel now.

 

[BoomerD]

Originally posted by: Amused
Mom

Already I catch myself
thinking, "When I phone,
I can talk of this or that!"
Then remember, I'm alone.

She was always there
to answer my calls -
To listen to my "small talk"
or when I climbed the walls.

At times, I didn't feel like talking
and somehow, she understood -
Didn't say she wished I'd call
or make me feel like I should.

Now, I wish I could have
more time to show I cared -
To say just how important
were all those times we shared.

I could have shown my love
so much more than I did -
I never did it enough
even when I was a kid.

Now it's too late to do or say
all those things I wish I had -
No way to ease the pain inside
when my heart is cold and sad.

She was my "anchor" to this life -
The "rock" that I clung to ?
The place where I could turn
when nowhere else would do.

Now, the ravages of smoking
have worn my "rock" away -
And all I have to cling to
are memories of yesterday.

Jeanne Gates
August 7, 1930 - October 17, 2008
You will live forever in our hearts.

Originally posted by: Sheepathon
You go through life and you never tell people how much you care about them. People should probably do that more.

My mom's been gone almost 12 years. The huge "void in your life" never quite gets filled, but the pain does dull slightly over time. (until some otherwise insignificant thing brings it all roaring back to the forefront.)

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
Amused, my Dad had a heart attack last year and underwent a quintuple bypass. I haven't been good at keeping in touch with him since...well, since I was in my teens really. Anyway, I flew back east to see him before his surgery, and I'm glad I did. It went well and we said we would keep in touch more but we really haven't.

I guess what I'm trying to say is to try not to feel regret. Try to remember the good things, the positive things you shared in your lives. The pain will pass, honestly, the thing that is most telling of how close you really were with your Mom is the amount of grief and pain you feel now.

Call him.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
Amused, my Dad had a heart attack last year and underwent a quintuple bypass. I haven't been good at keeping in touch with him since...well, since I was in my teens really. Anyway, I flew back east to see him before his surgery, and I'm glad I did. It went well and we said we would keep in touch more but we really haven't.

I guess what I'm trying to say is to try not to feel regret. Try to remember the good things, the positive things you shared in your lives. The pain will pass, honestly, the thing that is most telling of how close you really were with your Mom is the amount of grief and pain you feel now.

Call him.

I did actually talk to him briefly yesterday. He is in the hospital again, just had a valve replaced in his heart last week...he's in a rehabilitation center now recovering from the surgery.

He's 64 years old and diabetic. He doesn't take very good care of himself.

I talk to my Mom on a weekly basis.

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
Amused, my Dad had a heart attack last year and underwent a quintuple bypass. I haven't been good at keeping in touch with him since...well, since I was in my teens really. Anyway, I flew back east to see him before his surgery, and I'm glad I did. It went well and we said we would keep in touch more but we really haven't.

I guess what I'm trying to say is to try not to feel regret. Try to remember the good things, the positive things you shared in your lives. The pain will pass, honestly, the thing that is most telling of how close you really were with your Mom is the amount of grief and pain you feel now.

Call him.

I did actually talk to him briefly yesterday. He is in the hospital again, just had a valve replaced in his heart last week...he's in a rehabilitation center now recovering from the surgery.

He's 64 years old and diabetic. He doesn't take very good care of himself.

I talk to my Mom on a weekly basis.

Good.

 

[Lola]

Thank you for sharing. That was absolutely beautiful and very heart-felt.

Thank you also for the reminder that we need to tell those around us that we appricate them and love them.

:brokenheart:

 

[chitwood]

I probably shouldnt have read this thread

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: chitwood
I probably shouldnt have read this thread

Why?

 

[Fritzo]

I don't know...there's a few things a DEFINITELY wish I left unsaid or didn't do.

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: Fritzo
I don't know...there's a few things a DEFINITELY wish I left unsaid or didn't do.

LOL! We all have those things... but once done, they cannot be undone. So you patch them up and move on.

But while we still have a chance it's a good idea to do and say all the things you SHOULD.

 

[bharatwaja]

Damn it... I miss my grandpa...

 

[moshquerade]

Heartfelt and beautiful poetry Amused. Thanks for sharing.

 

[scott916]

Very true words. I miss my mom too.

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: moshquerade
Heartfelt and beautiful poetry Amused. Thanks for sharing.

Thank you, Mosh.

 

[BoomerD]

I have a good friend who is actually about the age of my kids. He & his wife have Sunday dinner at his parents' house every week. Occasionally, it'll interfere with something else he'd RATHER be doing and complains about having to go...

I remind him how much I'd be willing to give to have Sunday dinner with MY parents again...or with my in-laws again...and encourage him to cherish the time he has available with them...and remind him of how soon they'll be gone.

It's usually several months before I hear, "I wish I didn't have to go to my parents' for dinner on Sundays...I have other things I'd rather be doing." :roll:

(good guy, EXTREMELY intelligent with no kids, he & his wife have GOOD jobs...they're just young...(about 33) and neither has lost one of their parents...yet. Sooner than they imagine, they'll actually understand my point.

 

[Oceandevi]

Originally posted by: manlymatt83

Originally posted by: wwswimming
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adYbFQFXG0U

Christian the Lion. purchased as a baby cub at a department store
in London. released into the wild when it got too big.

the video is about what happens next.

don't worry, not gory or graphic. more in the category of Feel Good.
+ what the OP said.

I shed a tear

I wanted the lion to eat them.

 

[SmoochyTX]

Mom

I never could catch myself
thinking, "When I speak,
I can talk of this or that!"
Or remember, I am loved.

She was never there
to answer my calls -
To listen to my "small talk"
or when I climbed the walls.

At times, I wanted to talk
and she never understood -
Didn't say she wished I'd talk
or make me feel like I should.

Now, I wish I could have
more time to show I was scared -
To say just how much she wasn't
a mother and how much I didn't care.

We tried to show our love
so much more than she ever did -
We tried so hard
even when we were kids.

She gave up and so did we
seeing things a kid should never see
Burning, clawing, drowning
Secrets of a family.

Now it's too late to do or say
all those things I wish I had -
No way to ease the pain inside
when my heart is cold and sad.

All we wanted was an "anchor" to this life -
The "rock" that we clung to ?
The place where we could turn
when nowhere else would do.

Now, the ravages of her ineptitude
led us all astray
And all I have to cling to
are memories of yesterday.

Waiting for my mother to never RIP. If there is a hell, I hope she burns in it.


Amused,

I took the liberty of altering your poem to reflect the memories of my mother.

Feel loved that you have those great memories of your mother. I wish my brothers and myself had the same kind of great childhood memories.

I'm sure your Mom is in a great place.