Mom's Moving Day
As you know, my mom is my co-writer. It has been amazing to be able to share the writing experience with her. She has been down a rocky road these past few years. Losing her husband, the love of her life and soul mate, has been incredibly difficult for her, but she is surviving. Dad would be proud of the life that she's carving out for herself. She recently took a big step and got her own apartment. I asked her to share this experience on my blog. This one goes out to anyone who is trepidatious about making changes in his or her life. Mom is living proof that it can be done--and it can be done well! I'm proud of you, Mom! Love you lots!
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| My amazing mom who looks just as beautiful and young now as she always has. |
It was the morning I had been
dreading for months. As I awoke early and got dressed, my mind kept running
through the events of the past four years. I knew it was time. I had put it off
longer than I should have. Still, the prospect loomed over me like a dark
cloud, waiting to spill. No more dancing around the issue—it was time to face
the “M” word (that giant elephant in the room that I’d been tiptoeing around
for months) … MOVING!
When my husband passed away four
years ago, I found myself adrift in an uncertain world that I wasn’t sure how
to navigate. Thankfully, I’ve always been independent. Still, the prospect of
living a life completely on my own was daunting. Not sure what course I would
take, I simply postponed the decision and spent the next few years living with
my youngest daughter for the majority of the year. I would then go on extended
visits with my sons and other daughter. I really enjoyed spending time with my
children, and I will forever treasure the memories that we made. However, I knew
this way of life couldn’t go on forever. I needed my own place.
Finally, I bit the bullet and put
money down on an apartment. As the moving day grew nearer, I experienced the
normal anxiety that comes from making a change, but underneath that, I
discovered an unexpected surprise—a bubble of excitement was welling inside me.
The day of the move was extremely
tiring, but we finally got everything unloaded into the apartment. Then,
something remarkable happened. My two beautiful daughters went to work, making
sure that I had everything I needed. My oldest daughter, Jennifer, is not only an author but also an
interior designer. She went to work, arranging the furniture, hanging pictures,
and turning my average apartment into a showplace. Page, my youngest daughter and
the family nurturer, stocked my refrigerator and cabinets, making sure that I
had all of the items I needed to establish a household.
By the time it was all said and
done, my entire apartment was completely set up in less than a week. Every
family member contributed something to the move. Patrick, one of my
son-in-laws, along with my youngest grandson, moved me in, and my other
son-in-law, Nathan, hooked up my Internet and television.
I can look back now and laugh at my
anxiety over living by myself. For the life of me, I can’t figure out why I was
so nervous. Had I realized how wonderful it was to have my own place, I
would’ve done it years ago. Before the move, I mentioned to a friend of mine on
Facebook that I was having anxiety about moving. He sent me the funniest, sarcastic
message about how freaked out he would be if he had to live alone with all of that
peace and quiet. His comment made me laugh and helped ease my anxiety.
I love my new apartment and my new
life, especially my quiet time.
Family, you are amazing! I’m the
most blessed woman in the world to have such a great family. Thank you.