My
mother’s lifespan has been on my mind as I approach the age
she
reached on the day of her passing. She lived a shortened life, but it
was a full life.
In
1992, when my mother passed away, she was exactly 64 years, 8 months,
and 15 days old. I have been thinking about her lifespan as I
approach the age of 64 yeas, 8 months, and 15 days. It
doesn’t
seem like a very long time to live, but my mother saw more in her
life than many people see in a long lifetime. My mother’s
name
was Hazel, and hazel was the color of her eyes. As a child,
Hazel’s
hazel eyes unknowingly saw depression era poverty in her home. She
saw her mother use every resource, and waste nothing, to provide for
her family of eight. Hazel’s hazel eyes saw laughter and
singing at home in spite of hardships. She saw her father bring home
musical instruments and provide for music lessons. There was a
family band with an accordion, a banjo, a mandolin, guitars, and
singing.
As
a young adult, Hazel’s
hazel eyes saw her future husband. A few years after their wedding,
my brother and I were born. Then, my parents started to realize their
dream of traveling around the country and the world. Hazel’s
hazel eyes saw parts of 49 states, some Canadian provinces, and
foreign countries on three continents. She went sightseeing in more
than 100 state and national parks. She got a bird’s-eye-view
of
the Rocky Mountains through the window of a helicopter as it landed
on a mountain. She saw the Florida Everglades, the Smoky Mountains,
the Amazon Jungle, the Sonoran Desert, Iceland, two oceans, and a
view from the top of the highest peak in New York State.
Hazel’s
hazel eyes saw her precious grandchildren. She watched the children
sitting around her dining room table playing games. She enjoyed meals
at McDonald’s with the children. She kept an eye on them as
they had fun at the playground and the park. She cherished the
excitement in her grandchildren’s eyes as they enjoyed
Christmas traditions at her home. She saw love in their eyes because
each one shared a special bond with their grandma.
Then,
Hazel’s hazel eyes saw her sympathetic doctor speak the word
“cancer”. She observed more doctors, nurses,
medications,
needles and hospital beds. She made sure her eyes saw as much as
possible of her family because she knew it would not be long before
cancer took her life. The light went out in her eyes much too soon.
Hazel’s hazel eyes never saw her youngest grandchild. She
never
saw any of her grandchildren grow up and graduate, start careers, and
have families of their own. Still, Hazel’s hazel eyes saw a
full life.
My
mother’s life was different than mine, but I always
identified
with her. As I live beyond the age of 64 years, 8 months, and 15
days, I feel like I’m moving into uncharted territory without
a
model to guide me. I can only imagine what Hazel’s hazel eyes
would have seen as she grew older. I know one thing for sure; even
if I live to be 100, I will not see and experience as much as my
mother did in her 64 years, 8 months, and 15 days on earth.
Unlike
my parents, I have no desire to travel. I am content to live with my
husband in a small town on the shore of Lake Ontario, just west of
Rochester NY. In my spare time, I like to read and write. I have been
published a few times in newspapers, and in Reminisce
Magazine
and
Ranger Rick
Magazine.
Contact
Patricia (Unless
you
type
the
author's name in
the subject
line
of the message we
won't know where to send it.)
