Happy Birthday to my Mom

It's been a little over 18 months since my mom passed away, but today would have been her 65th birthday. I took some flowers by her grave and noticed a little old man sitting nearby crying. I was able to talk to him for a while about his wife of 64 years who had just died about 4 months ago (he knew the exact number of days). She had died of cancer too, so we talked about what a hard disease that is to watch take hold of a loved one. It made my own burden a little easier to bear knowing that I'm young enough to still have my husband and children to lean on. So anyway, Happy Birthday to my mom. I often feel her so near that I still find myself about to call her on the phone to tell her about something funny, or wondering if it's her knocking on my door. I know this isn't the most uplifting entry ever, but this day will always be a special day for me--and I'd rather remember and be a little sad than not remember at all.