(Blog post originally published on May 12, 2019)
This is my Zen Mum. What do you see when you look at this face?
- A woman who just hit the jack pot and her diabetes is forever gone??
OR
- A lady happily slurping yummy Shanghai soup dumplings like nobody’s business??
OR…OR…
- A gal who finally realized that adding just a bit of coffee into her huge mug of cream is a MIRACLE!!
WHY…no, not quite…
but great guesses!
She is in fact a… superhero!
By day, she takes care of Zen Master. By night, she basks in Asian drama in YouTube.
Zen Mum is his constant companion everywhere he wanders, a steadfast GPS for him when he drives to the local supermarket or to the drug store to pick up his prescriptions. Never mind that sometimes (oops) she points them down the wrong road and gets them lost. This usually leads to really awesome nagfests between the two feisty senior citizens, but thank goodness I’m not there to have to break them up!
As of September, 2018, they have been married for 50 years.
A half a century marriage.
A Letter to Mom
I took you for granted.
It unfortunately had to take Pop’s stroke in 2016 for me to see things differently, to see you differently. You and Pop are my lighthouse in the vast ocean of life, steady and always shining bright. You have always taken care of me so well, so patiently, putting aside your own dreams and wishes, and took on mine as your own.
Now it’s my turn to take care of you. It’s my honor and privilege to be your daughter and for the chance to show my love for you. I know many people who are without a mother and I’m fortunate that you’re still here with me and Pop.
You’re my only mother and when you do eventually move on without me, I will be adrift without you.
But before that time comes, I will appreciate and love you the best that I can now and to take care of you to that very end. I will continue to pester and nag the shit out of you, drive you to drink so much milk-coffee that you’ll be bloated. I will continue to roll my eyes at your corny jokes, and I will continue to hold your hand as we go shopping. And absolutely I will continue to be a pain in your ass.
Love doesn’t mean all gooey and “yes,ma’am”, you know.
Thank you for being my Zen Mum.
xoxoxoxo
Sally in the Zen
