Oct
03
I’ve still been sticking to my walking every morning, by myself mostly which I still am not fond of! But it helps that I go to the small city park with a walking track because if I go in the mornings around 8ish there are so many other people out there doing the same thing. I figure it must be good for me and I think I do feel better when I keep it up. Today though I wore my pedometer for the first time in a while, was pretty sure I was walking about 2 1/2 miles so I wanted to check it against that; 2.68, so I’m on track I guess. I hope I’ll be able to keep on with it when I go visit Kathryn after she has the baby…….if I ever quit, it’s so hard to start back up again. 😆
And here is where the “walk” will take a 180 degree turn! This was something I read toward the end of a book I’ve been reading this week, Big Stone Gap.
“No on worries about you like your mother, and when she is gone, the world seems unsafe, things that happen unwieldy. You cannot turn to her anymore, and it changes your life forever. There is no one on earth who knew you from the day you were born; who knew why you cried, or when you’d had enough food; who knew exactly what to say when you were hurting; and who encouraged you to grow a good heart. When that layer goes, whatever is left of your childhood goes with her. Memories are very different and cannot soothe you the same way her touch did.”
I’ve felt rather emotional this week for some reason and that sorta made me sad when I read it or maybe it seemed sad because I was already emotional! But it does seem sorta true to me that it does change your life when your mother is no longer around and sometimes I don’t know that we ever get that until it’s happened and then it might be too late to appreciate some of it. When my kids were little and things seemed hard at times, I told Don many times that the kids would just never “get it”; he said one day when they were grown they would appreciate us more….to which I always told him I’d be dead before they ever realized it! I still think some of it might be true, maybe we don’t always appreciate things until they’re gone.
Ok, the rest of my “walk” today needs to be washing clothes and getting ready for a road trip when the new baby decides he’s ready to come!
P.S…..one interesting tidbit I read in the back of the book about the author Adriana Trigiani. It says she honed her storytelling abilities over a decade of writing & producing some tv shows, including the groundbreaking Cosby Show. I didn’t know that but we loved that show as a family and will still watch reruns from time to time.
October 3rd, 2007 at 10:46 am
I know when I lost my dad that I suddenly felt like there was no one to look out for me anymore. I was married and I knew my husband was my protector/provider, but I still felt a very real sense that if we ever got in trouble, my dad wouldn’t be there to save us. It’s weird because we never needed him to “save us”, but just knowing it made it feel so lonely. I still have my mom thank goodness.
October 3rd, 2007 at 11:25 am
This quote really touched me today. I’ve been thinking about my cousin who just lost her mom, and it brings back thoughts of when my mother passed away. I don’t think you ever get used to the idea of not having a parent in your life, but you just learn to live with it. I remember reading someone else’s words about losing her mother. There’s the loss of not having an older, wiser woman in your life, who can lead the way. I still feel that way. As I go through new phases of my life, I miss her even more. I’m just grateful that I had her for as long as I did.
I’ve read several of Adriana Trigiani’s books, but not this one. I’m glad there’still one I get to read! Interesting about her involvement in the Cosby show — that was a great show!
October 3rd, 2007 at 11:29 am
Well. Where to begin!
First, that’s awesome that you’re walking that far every morning. We don’t walk that far, and I don’t tend to go without Tim. It’s really really hard for me to motivate myself to go alone. I should, and I know I should, but I usually don’t.
Second, you said you’re reading Big Stone Gap, but it’s not on your sidebar! Do you want me to add it or update that for you? 🙂
Third, it’s so weird, and yet totally understandable, that you’d quote that excerpt from that book! I read it a couple of years ago and quoted THAT EXACT SAME SECTION on my blog. Check it out here: http://hambones.org/blogs/stacy/?p=537
… Except, you didn’t leave me a comment back then, which is odd. That far back, mostly it was you, Suzie, Amanda and Dawn that left me comments 🙂 I liked that passage as well and it made me think of Dodie. I still miss her…
You’ll like the next one too, Big Cherry Holler, if you like Big Stone Gap. I need to read more of Trigiani’s books, I’ve only read those two. I saw that about the Cosby show too and thought that was neat!
October 3rd, 2007 at 1:14 pm
Keep walking. It is so good for you. Take God along. When I do that He sometimes laughs at my challenge for Him to keep up.
I get very wistful certain times of the year about things that are, unfortunately, regrettable. Not that I actually regret. But I could talk myself into if I tried.
I was thinking just today about older ladies that would stop me when I was dragging three small boys around. They would tell me to enjoy it while it lasted because it would go by so fast.
And so today I was thinking that perhaps I didn’t enjoy it as much as I should have. At the time I felt sure I was. But now, I kind of wish I could have those babies back from time to time to cuddle and read to. Perhaps it is not so much that I regret not doing something then, but that I just miss the busy, physical challenge of running after them and enjoying their quiet times.
I guess that is what grandchildren are for.
October 3rd, 2007 at 1:42 pm
I don’t even want to think about losing my mom! I think that is a life changing event no matter what age you are or what your circumstances!
October 3rd, 2007 at 4:10 pm
Gosh, Gail. You got me all teary eyed. I still have my mom but she is getting quite up in years. I don’t know what I would do without her. :O)
October 3rd, 2007 at 7:20 pm
I am thinking about this more often, since my mom turned 80. (I always wonder if this sounds as strange to others as it actually does to me…having my mom be this old now, with my youngest child only 5!) I love her dearly, and as you might remember, we’re in the process of having her move closer…
The quote is so true…no matter how old both of us get, she is still my mom, the one who nurtured me and sang me lullabies…there is absolutely no one that can replace a mom!
October 3rd, 2007 at 9:36 pm
She’s an amazing author. I’ve read just about all her stuff. She always seems to hit right at home … in the heart. Glad you’re enjoy your walks! :o)
October 4th, 2007 at 10:24 pm
I like that book! I grew up two miles from Big Stone Gap, where the author is from.
October 5th, 2007 at 7:37 pm
Very inspiring, both the walking (good for you) and the quote! Lots to think about here!