Lee Briggs - Age 28
Today is my Mom's 68th Birthday...
and she is more stunning now than she was in this photo taken at 28 years old - the exact age I am today.
A lot has happened in those 40 years: Love and Loss - Elation and Devestation - Fate and Hope.
My mom has lived a raw, passionate, and unabridged life.
There has been no half-assing it.
From a Prisoner of War in a WWII Japanese Internment Camp in the Phillipines named Nelda, to an acclaimed stage actress named Lee.
From a serial-dating "it girl" in the 60's who met my father while on a date with another man, to a one-man woman for the last 40 years.
From a homley, gap-toothed catholic school girl getting "rulered" by the nuns for acting her age, to an elementary school teacher sharing her passion and wit with naughty kids of a new generation.
From a woman who struggled to have children, to an energetic, fully-invested and uplifting mother of 2 daughters.
From a Go-Go Dancer on Magnum P.I., to a wheel-chair bound paraplegic.
From asking "why?" to hearing "you can do it Briggs" - my rough-around-the-edges father never leaving her side.
From an empty nester finally catching her breath, to taking on the unforseen role of mother to her own grandson for nearly a decade.
Nothing has been sugar coated. Nothing has been easy.
But through it all, she has stood back up and marched on with gratitude, faith and pride.
My biggest regret in life happened at age 11. My newly-paralyzed mom called out for me to help her reach something in the dining room. I stomped in, livid at having to leave my episode of Nickalodian's "Hey Dude!" to respond to her needs.
"I hate helping you!" I shouted like a little imbicile.
"I hate you having to help me," she responded.
I sat on her lap, and we both cried.
No amount of help on my part could ever compare to the gift she has given me simply by being my Mom.
She has been my sunshine on the darkest days, and has given me her radiant smile and warm spirit.
I am me because of her, and I am so humbled by her strength and love.
I can only hope I will live my next 40 years with the grace and class with which she has lived her last 40.
Happy Birthday Mom. I love you.
Lee Briggs - Age 68
6 comments:
What a sweet tribute, Silvey!!! I've never had the opportunity to meet your parents, but I know they must be amazing for having produced such an awesome daughter!
Happy Birthday, Briggs!
Happy Birthday Briggs!! I want to call my own Mom now.
Very sweet and touching! Great writing...
There's a lot that I want to say about this, but none of it would seem to have anything to do with what you wrote. Suffice to say, yesterday would have been my dad's 71st birthday, and so this hit very close to home. Wonderful post, S.
had no idea you had a blog and soooo happy now that i know. this is just the sweetest post. xo
I love this post G :)
Post a Comment