You may be thinking to yourself, Mother’s Day was last weekend? May 8th? But you’d be misinterpreting. Today, my mom put herself first. After many, many years of putting others above her, today she is first. Today is my mother’s day.
After 20 years of working as town manager for the municipal council in St. Lewis, today is her last day of work. Over the course of those years she has seen many beneficial town projects come to fruition. One of which is the new town hall, which should be completed this summer. Her only regret is that she won’t be able to work in it.
Recently my mother was told that she has three (3!) different forms of arthritis. I can’t say I personally know what this feels like, but from the account of many people that I know, arthritis in any form is no walk in the park. This type of diagnosis, along with being a type-two diabetic, leaves my mom with little option for a safe, healthy, and manageable working life. With me by her side at the hospital, her doctor told her that she should cease working in order to better manage her pain and allow her a better quality of life.
This didn’t come as a surprise to either of us, and now that the decision has been made, our family can work together on a plan to move forward in life.
I hope that a new pain management plan will help make her life easier, along with less stress from not having to worry about the woes of managing a town and its (sometimes) naysayers. I am sure that my moms talent and positive and welcoming personality will be missed by those who took the time to appreciate it.
Mom, I hope that now you take the time to go at your own pace. To wake up when you want, to craft when your hands will allow you to, and to enjoy every ounce of life that was once taken up by worrying about other people. For once in your life, I hope you are selfish, and that every day, is mother’s day.
Love,
M.
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