Mum's the word

This is where I could share a funny story of Mom having to do with Diet Coke or a chandelier...

But I won't.

For one thing, I value my own life too much to risk that kind of harm. But mostly, I love Mom just enough that I don't really want to cause her that kind of public embarrassment. So, those stories shall remain confidential.

Besides, in my relationship with her, how we've gotten along hasn't had near the impact on me as how I've observed her relate to others. I've got a reputation for being sarcastic, even snarky, and for being a straight-shooter.

I don't get that from her.

When dealing with others, you'd be hard pressed to find a kinder, gentler soul. She exemplifies politeness to strangers and is a real butterfly in social settings. Her impact on me is that I shudder to think how prickly I'd be without her influence on me.

That's not to say she won't speak her mind, even if she's wrong. She's passionate about several things, one of them being how she thinks her children should comport themselves. Any doubt on that could be quickly dispelled by asking my brother. In fact, in the past couple of years, I think she's beat herself up pretty hard over her relationship with her own mother.

Some reading this already know that my Granny passed away last December. What you may not know is the devotion Mom showered on her as she slowly deteriorated. Mom has a lot of painful memories of the struggles she had as a caretaker but the memory I have is that she never gave up.

As frustrated as she was, she remained diligent. Granny was never lacking in anything, especially chocolate milkshakes. That's what I love about my Mom.