It’s an ordinary Saturday morning. The sun is out with a slight overcast or haze, and there’s a strong enough wind to offset the humidity and 81 degrees.

It’s an ordinary day. I do not feel sad and I guess I am recharting much of my attitude toward grief. While I do miss Mother, who passed away four years ago, today, I have learned to live with this latest stage. There are so many reasons to celebrate her life, and the life she gave me that those reasons now outweigh the sense of loss and are reinstated with appreciativeness and the mission to always be of service. As our cousin, Jerry Hallett, wrote earlier today, “Moms are special. Perhaps that is why the loss of them hurts so badly. You will miss her badly for a long time, but take the time to remember the laugh times, too.”

It’s great advice and very much along the new path I’ve adopted.

One thing that has become clearer to me over the past several years is that I am glad Mother has not had to deal with her two surviving children dealing with multiple sclerosis. Mother, who could be calm and in great self-control, was also a terrible worrier when it came to her children and grandchildren. The silence of her stress and anxiety was greatly masked but always felt. While my sister and I have done quite well in dealing with our individual, mutual disorders, and maintaining fairly routine lives, Mother would have been a relentless packet of anxious tension.

Tonight, I will have supper with my bonus sister, Laura, and relax for the remainder of the evening with an audiobook and The FabFive.

Sunday, I will have two new students starting with me, and another two on Monday and Tuesday. My recent seniors are beginning to leave the studio-nest for their college careers and I will be following them through the years.

I need to continue with my day. I stated at the top that it’s an ordinary day, but to be honest, I don’t believe any day is ordinary as there is always something to capture, to learn, to celebrate, and for which to feel gratitude.

Mother, I miss you and I hope you know you will always be loved…

Make it a great day!