Reflections on Gratitude, My Mom, Impermanence, and Love

My mom smiled, hugged, engaged, laughed, looked into our eyes, joked, shared stories, asked about each of our lives. She also repeatedly asked, "What's the next step?" (to moving from a hospital bed to her very own new assisted living home near her family). The last time Mom answered her own question, but differently than how we had been. Mom reflected that the next step is "patience." Wow! All this and more happened last night when Ron, Matt, and I visited Mom/Grandma Nan. I am so grateful! 

I am also deeply aware of impermanence and my ongoing challenge to embrace life as it is without clinging to the "good" and pushing away that which is painful. Wednesday night - with glimpses captured below - was such a great celebration of my mother's 87th birthday. Then Thursday, the night before last, it felt as though we were at ground zero. And that is so painful and scary. Now last night there was this sweetness... so much sweetness. 

Everything ebbs and flows. What an amazing time this is for remembering and embracing the tender truth of impermanence and the preciousness of each moment, whatever that brings.

I am deeply aware of what a treasure it is to have my mother and our sons' grandmother here, staying (currently) just five blocks away until we successfully find a new residence that will be a good fit for Mom. So much to do. And I continue to simply be grateful. Grateful, grateful, grateful. I love my mom.

Kristin & Kevin, Matt & Mom, Brian & Marita, Ron & me

Mom opens a stack of cards for her 87th birthday!

Within an hour after leaving, youngest grandson, Matt, posted this as his Facebook profile picture.

Mom with her three handsome grandsons, all so grateful to be reconnecting with their grandma.