Thursday, May 19, 2011

Mother, Grandmother, Auntie and Friend

By Adele K. Mennenga
Written by Mary K. Mennenga

The love she's given
Has always been unconditional and never waived
She said, "I don't love anyone the most
I've only loved them longer, that's all."
She never felt qualified to judge anyone
She has always known
"You've done the best you could with the hand
You've been dealt and that
Your best has always been good enough for her"
The love she shared reminds us
Life is a journey we haven't taken alone
So just take it as it comes and enjoy it
Remembering that dying is just the last piece
Of living we'll do and life goes on
The accomplishments she was the most proud of are:
Shooting 100% in basketball. All the children she taught to tie shoes could. She had something good to say about everyone. No has always meant No and it never ever meant maybe! She would give advice if you used it or not, all she wanted was to give you more options. She used cliches to teach life lessons. When hearing them repeated to the next generation, she knew we had learned the significance of keeping it simple.

We wrote this together shorty before she passed away. That basketball shot was from the top step going in our back door, the basketball hoop was 15 feet away and it was nothing but net, after she made it she was asked repetitively to do it again, her reply was; "Why? I can't improve on perfection now can I!" It was the first and last time she ever shot a basketball, no matter how hard we tried over the years to get her to she never would.
She didn't want me to be sad about her passing it's why life works you see is what she always said to me. Still I hear her words and wisdom coming from deep inside of me, more so when I'm being a bone head of course!  

6 comments:

Kim@stuffcould.... said...

I am sorry for this loss. It is touching, all the achievements!

Mary Mennenga said...

Kim, I'm just so glad God let me have her as my Mom. All that I have gained from having her in my life for so long. I do understand why God called her home.

Kate said...

Your Mom sounds like a wonderful, strong women. I like her achievements too. I really like what you wrote "Life is a journey we haven't taken alone
So just take it as it comes and enjoy it
Remembering that dying is just the last piece
Of living we'll do and life goes on". Wise words and a lovely way to put it. Sorry she has gone x

Mary Mennenga said...

Kate, Thank you She had a unique way of looking at the world. Being her daughter was great but becomming her friend was a blessing.

Daphne said...

She sounds just wonderful and someone I would have liked to have known.

Mary Mennenga said...

Thank you Daphne My hope is that my reflection show how much she has taught me. MKM