I got the phone call that broke me at the time . . . my brother called to say "Mom is dead." With no warning at all, no chance to say how much I loved her and how much she meant to me, she died in her sleep at the young age of 63 and here I was at 27 with 3 young babies myself and no mother.

Bar none, my mother was the most amazing lady in my life. She was a woman of dignity and grace. We were a family that was suffering from the effects of an alcoholic (my Dad) and she never, never gave up on him and on us. After 38 years, he finally left her for another, left her heart broken and so I learned some lessons from Mom too. I learned that we have but only this day, this day each and every day for as long as we reside on earth to live it to the best of our ability, to live it to our fullest, and Mom, I think you are proud that I continue to live each day the way I want; not the way others may wish I should.

She posted many things on our refrigerator, things like the serenity prayer (I do not know if she ever found Alanon) and Children Learn What They Live. I can hear her voice ringing in my ears all the time with so many truisms "Maria, you can get more bees with honey than vinegar," "Sometimes God does for us what we cannot do for ourselves," and more often that not she would tell my father "Those are MY children." We didn't know at the time but of course being an A, he was often unfaithful to her, and so she protected us like a lioness does her lair. You never stepped over that line with my mother regarding the five of us, her children; and at the same time, she knew we were perfectly imperfect and she would discipline us with words and with lessons, never with her hand.

She worked in the local dentist's office and was loved by the entire community for her wisdom (oh did she have a lot of wisdom, wisdom that I often wish I could draw upon today) and for her loving and affectionate ways. She would be hugged and sometimes kissed by strangers (to me). That's just the way she was. You never entered our house and left our house without a hug and a kiss hello and good-bye.

Our house always had a lot of people traffic and we did not have a lot of money; but Mom could seem to always have enough food when company would stop by so that everyone would eat. She could make pasta that would feed an army. It was always pasta on Sundays and holidays without fail (she was Italian).

And so today, I share with all of you my mother . . .  I learned that there is no love like my mother's love; there is no touch than that of my mother's hand; there is no hug than that of my mother's comfort; there is no confidence built than that of my mother's encouragement; and there is none other that loved me so unconditionally than my mother's love. I try each day to emulate you with your three amazingly, beautiful grandsons so that someday they will feel that they had the best mother in the world like I still do today.

Today, Mom, I celebrate you and your life and your gift to me as a Mother. I am off to Sail Boston where I will visit the Tall Ships and bask in the love that you gave me. I still feel you by my side, by my side when my heart is heavy and by my side when my heart is full. With tears in my eyes, I know you are at peace with Nana and God being loved unconditionally as you should be.

Until we meet again,
Maria