Thursday, January 8, 2009

Anniversary Of My Mother's Death Approaches

February will bring the first anniversary of my Mother's death from Alzheimer's disease. We miss her very much! My first Christmas without her was so hard... I didn't expect that. Even with all my kids home, there was such a hole without my mom.
Throughout this past year I have tried to establish new traditions for holidays that remind me of her, or honor traditions that were important to her for that holiday. For example, my mother always served some kind of cabbage dish on New Year's Day to bring good luck in the coming year. This year, I made delicious egg rolls filled with ground chicken and Napa cabbage! It reminded me of her, even though she usually made cabbage rolls or red cabbage with apples.
I think it's important for loved ones to continue remembering in positive ways the person they have lost. I have many special traditions to look forward to this year, like taking an Easter lily to someone in a nursing home on Easter, sending flowers anonymously to a 'forgotten' or single mom on Mother's Day, buying food for the homeless on Thanksgiving, etc.
Thanks Mother, for making my life richer and more meaningful not only when you were alive but now and in the future. I love you.