The Final Task

Pearl S. Buck wrote:

“Some Mothers are kissing Mothers and some Mothers are disciplining Mothers, but the love is just the same; and most Mothers are both.”

The Woman we celebrate today was exactly both AND she was not only a Mother to John-Paul and I, but to all of us here and then some.

If you were a toddler, She showed love by spoiling you rotten and fixing you’re boo-boo when you scraped your knee and if She had to discipline you, you stood in the corner and afterwards wrote “I will not misbehave” about two-thousand times!

As you became a teenager, She showed the same love by continuing to spoil you, fixing your boo-boo’s and gave you solid advice on life’s happenings and what to expect and of course if you needed discipline, She made you clean her house from top to bottom and perhaps made you write “I will not misbehave” over and over depending on how much paper she had left in the house.

Even as adults the same love applied. She loved and spoiled you just the same; helping to fix “life’s” boo-boo’s with a solution and game plan to make “everything work out” regardless.  As far as discipline, she held true no matter what age you were, she looked you straight in the eye and at that point you just knew you were in trouble; if you were quick enough you ran, but when she caught up with you, you wrote “I will not misbehave” over and over.

The common denominator was always unconditional love and support, sometimes the love was “tough love,” but it was love none-the-less.

She mothered many children as well as adults, but she was proud of each and every one of us and she always took pride in her work!

She was a devoted wife or some would say “ball and chain” for over 36 years!  My father put it best the other day when he said “I am still waiting for her to come in the room and start yelling at me,” but the love and devotion they had for each other was truly amazing.

She was a traveler; on September 4th the cruise lines took a huge dive in business as they now have one less customer every four months.  She planned vacations accordingly and frequently as she well deserved them.

She was a true New Yorker – she yelled, spoke and drove like one and was a faithful Met’s and NY Giants fan; I imagine it is a little late for her to turn the Met’s around, but do not be surprised with a NY Giants super bowl win this year.

Her faith was very important to her; she was an active member of St. Jude’s church for many years, volunteered with the St. Vincent DePaul Society and the Franciscan Mystery players.

As all of us here are experiencing an extreme void in our hearts, know that my mother was called to continue her work, not only to watch and guide all of us from above, but to take care of two very special babies who passed before her, Janet and Christian.  These kids have been blessed with an amazing teacher and she will show them the ropes and call upon them to watch over all of us as well.

Today we continue to celebrate her life and continue to carry out her legacy of providing care, love and support for one and other.

Remember she will always be watching us, so "WE WILL NOT misbehave!"