it's been one year...

it's been one year since maryfran died. she died at about 1:30AM april 28.

here's a picture of mom in hawaii in the 50's. she's with a flight attendant friend. i'd never seen this picture before. bill found it in her things and gave it to me for christmas last year.

life has moved on for both bill and me. her house on nottoway court has been sold. her furniture and possessions sold or given to family.

many of you gave to the charities mentioned in this blog, particularly the american lung association. bill and i thank you for that.

there's not a day that i don't think of her. more and more, i see her in me. in the way i act. in the way i speak. in my mannerisms and expressions. seeing this happen makes me know that with death, comes life.

















to remember mom, here are the words from a poem i wrote about her. my good friend jonathan read this at her funeral:

I AM ME, BECAUSE OF YOU

I am me, because of you.
You were proud of me. I was so proud of you.
First, you gave me life. Then, you gave me soul.
Then, you gave me more. I then, gave back to you.

A love of nature. A love to nurture.
Of gardening. And plants. Like Pacassandra. And Rhododendron.
Of animals. Like dogs. And cats. Birds. And fish.

To Laugh.
To laugh a lot.
To poke fun.
To pull a prank.

To laugh at yourself.
To laugh at myself.
To Laugh again.

To make a friend.
The gift of gab.
To light up a room.
To be loved.

A taste for Glamour.
An appetite for style.
The joy of experience.
The confidence to know how.

The gift of creativity.
To make things balance.
To pick the right color.
The pursuit of perfection.

I am me, because of you.
You are gone, eternally free.
But because of so many things,
You will now and forever, be alive in me.

I will never forget you.
I will always thank you.
I will always love you.
Your son, Tom.