“You must call the company and tell them to cancel my phone. You can’t hear on it anyway.”
“Do you have your hearing aids in?”
“No! They should make the phone with hearing aids in it.”
“Well, not everyone would need them. Do you want me to place your call again with your aids so you can hear them?”
“No, I don’t. I heard enough of all that whining.”
“Mom, you are good at that too. You all could play a game of who can whine the best.”
I love my Mom, but she is a whiner. I think about it often. I walk into her room day and night. Softly, I touch her so as not to wake her. I worry that she’s not breathing; I fear she’s thirsty, hungry, too hot, or too cold, but I don’t wake her because I know it won’t be long before she is up.
11 pm: I’m sleeping soundly, but I hear her beside my bed. I think; It’s funny that she gets lost in the house during the day but knows what room I am in and on what side of the bed.
“Barbara, Wake up! They are having a contest on WSOC for who is up at the latest. You need to call them; I might win a new car.” She has had another dream.
I look up, and she’s standing there with an Ensure and a little Debbie Cake. “I believe you already won the prize. It’s too late to call. You need to get back in bed.”
I received word this past weekend that a very dear and old friend of our family passed away. I decided it best not to tell Mom. She has never forgotten her. Pearl is about seven months younger than Mom, and they became instant friends upon meeting over 65 years ago. Pearl had four daughters, and so did Mom, but we had a bonus; we had Gary, whom we all loved. Before we moved to Chesterfield, they were our neighbors, but we were inseparable as these two friends looked out for all of us as their own. I thought Pearl was beautiful, with long silky hair that she wore in a bun or braided. Her skin was like ivory, and she had the biggest smile that never seemed to leave her face. But the thing that I remember most was seeing her read her Bible and what a strong Christian woman she was. Thank you, Pearl, for loving us and all the times you packed us in the car and hauled us to Bible School. You made a positive impact on each of our lives. Your name was perfect; it means “Precious.” I know God has a special place ready for Pearl in Heaven.
