She Desired to be a Great-Grandmother

I live 4,269 miles away from my mother (I googled it). A large pond A.K.A the North Atlantic Ocean separates us, so jumping in the car and popping over to Mam’s house on a whimsy is out of the question. Trips to see mam and dad take planning, airplane tickets and time off work.

It has been 26 years since I last celebrated Mother’s Day in the flesh so to speak, with my mother. I’m not saying it has been 26 years since I last saw her, just that we have not shared that day in person for a long time. We talk on the telephone every Friday with extra calls on birthdays, Christmas and Mother’s Day. I know the day will come when I will miss those calls…assuming she passes on before I do.

Late August 2016 I had the pleasure of spending eight days on vacation with my mother, who was then 86 years old, on Jersey, a British island just off the coast of Normandy, France. We had a wonderful time sightseeing the island and learning its history. This was the first vacation we had gone on together in 39 years and one I will always cherish.

Time flies so quickly and is gone before we know it. My mother turns 88 in November (my father 91 in September). Her hair use to be golden, now it is a shimmering white. Her walk use to be fast, steady and sure, now she walks slow and careful with the aid of a walking stick. This woman, my mother is made of grit, she may have slowed down but it has not stopped her sense of adventure.

At age 83 she made the long and tiring journey on her own from Wales to Arkansas to see her two month old first great-grandchild. While here I remember her sharing with my Pastor’s wife her desire to see her first great-grandchild before she died and, now that was accomplished she was ready to go.

Since then she has seen him at 15 months and 4 years. Not only did she see her great-grandson this April she also met his sister, her great-granddaughter for the first time when my daughter and family visited Wales.

Wherever we come in the order of family, great-grandmother, grandmother, mother or child it is good for us to take time for each other. To cultivate relationships, something my daughter is very intentional and good at. Family is a priority to her even though she has a full time job and other interests she still reaches out to all the generations in the family.

“Honor your father and mother so that you’ll live a long time in the land that God, your God, is giving you”.       Exodus 20:12

Maybe physical distance separates you from your mother, maybe it is emotional distance. Find a way to reach out and bridge the gap this Mother’s Day. We are all getting older flying second by flying second, that is not only true for your mother but true for you also. Bridge the gap today.

Until next week

Helena

Looking to Jesus. Living in His Radiance.

What is the one thing that stands out to you about your mother? Share in the comments, look forward to reading about your mother.