Mom

It has been a long day accompanying Mom to her cataract surgery and hanging with her all day.  But Cara is now there to take the overnight shift and transport her to her post-op appointments tomorrow.  A day with Mom  is always interesting.  I look at her and often wonder how I even came from her.  In some ways there are similarities that even I can not deny...but in others...we are polar opposites.  I look at her....and I try to remember the Mom I grew up with...but she has changed over the years...and I often can not bring the younger Mom into focus.  I watch her laboring to walk, being in denial about how independent she is able to be.  I listen to her as she struggles to hear and gets confused.  I look around the house at all the tools she needs for daily life, big trays of medicines, walkers, canes, bath chairs...and I am sad for her that she has to spend these last years in this manner and in pain...and I am not looking forward to my last years if that's how I need to spend them.

But for now, Mom is resting comfortably and in Cara's capable hands...and I plan on resting comfortably as well.

"Our mothers always remain the strangest, craziest people we've ever met."

Marguerite Duras