Cold night at FF

In Honor: Mother's 100th birthday.

My mother was born 100 years ago today, and I feel it calls for a tribute. 

During World War II, she found and married the love of her life. Two days after the informal church wedding, Daddy became a soldier and left on a military truck for parts unknown. She was a war bride, and I was her war baby. An old and very sweet story. 

During my growing up years, I didn't know enough to appreciate my mother. In adulthood, by getting outside my small circle and into the real world, through my work and hearing thousands of family stories, by observing and studying cause and effect in human lives, I realized her worth and became incredibly thankful for who she was and how she reared me. Eventually I knew it was her abiding love and dutiful care that lifted me to go forward during hard times. I felt her like a rod of light within me. 

So today in her honor, I will laugh over some funny situations, find something beautiful to delight in, listen with enjoyment to a new story someone is telling, be more expressive, love more deeply, have fun, and once again be grateful to have grown up being her daughter.