Time for Mom

Today we had my Mom's funeral mass. When she died in January, she and my father had set up with the funeral home exactly what they wanted to do upon their deaths. They had said they wanted no muss, no fuss. They wanted to be cremated....a short, one-hour viewing, and that was it. No wakes, no big church service and no burial. My Dad had second thought as time went on, and decided he'd like to have a memorial mass said. So he contacted the church my parents sometimes attended and they were kind enough to set it all up. It was a little different having the service so long after my mom's death. But it was good. It gave everyone a chance to get together as a family and say thanks for having my Mom in our lives. My sister and my brother Steve and I were too chicken to try and deliver the eulogy. I just knew I'd get up there and blubber like a baby. But my brother John stepped up to the plate. And he delivered a very touching eulogy. He talked about how.....to an outsider.....it would seem that my Mom was an "ordinary" person. She was born to an ordinary family, went to school, got married, had kids, cared for her family.......and that was it. But to anyone who knew her, she was actually quite extra-ordinary. Because she loved....and was loved by.....everyone she met. She was funny, outgoing, loving, helpful, kind.....the list goes on and on. And we are all better people for having known her. I was thankful that John said the things he did. Because they were the exact things I wanted to say.....but couldn't. He said the words for all of us.....and I'm very grateful. The nice thing about today was that my Dad had a cookout afterwards. We all got together and ate and talked and laughed. We enjoyed our day the way my mother would have loved. And that was our tribute to her.