It's been 3 months since my mom passed away. In the midst of dealing with the emotional upheaval and coming to terms with our loss, there is also a sense of needing to do or say something significant in remembrance of her.Here is a short speech my sister, Lisa, gave on behalf of herself, my brother and I at my mother's memorial service.
I think it sums up our feeling very well...
Mom...
One of the hardest things for us 3 children, Julia, Brett and I has been to find the words that will do justice to our mom and what she has meant to us. Even now, words don't seem to be enough.
A while ago I saw a sign outside a restaurant that said, "God placed angels on earth to walk amongst us, and he called them mothers", I thought of mom and felt how true this was of her. Mom always put others before herself; she was kind, compassionate, caring and never sought the limelight or attention for all the good she did. Mom spoke of how proud she was of her family, and how proud she was to be a part of it. She was the peacemaker, the strong bond that held us all together and she continuously put so much time and unconditional love into those close to her.
As a mother, she has led by example as a truly good person, and given us the strength, wisdom, understanding and maturity to live our lives to the best of our ability being the best we can be. Mom never hesitated to help those in need, she always thought about what was right, and lived by that. In a world where so many marriages seem to fail, we have been so blessed to see our mom and dad stay together through the good times and bad times, showing us true commitment, love and partnership.
Mom hasn't just been a mother, a wife, a sister; she was a friend, a confidant, counsellor, companion and so much more. She had a way of lifting us up, encouraging us, finding the positive in all things and spurring us on towards a future that would make us happy. We are so proud to be able to call her our mom.
In this time of great sorrow, it has been the words and thoughts that mom has shared with us before, her special way of comforting and reassuring us, that has come to our minds. Knowing that mom would want us to find the joy and happiness from the time we had with her, has given us some strength. And it's our love for mom that allows us to find some peace in the knowledge that she is in a better place, being rewarded for everything she has so selflessly given for us.
We will dearly miss mom, and cherish every special moment and memory we have of her. She is in our hearts, a part of her will forever be in us and we are thankful for this gift she has blessed us with.
