My parents lived in Jacksonville, Florida. They bought a home after many years of living with my grandmother or in apartments. The process of decorating brought such joy to my mother. A few years after the design dreams were completed, my mom expressed one more wish to me. She wanted to have mirrors installed on the wall at the end of the living room. The wall was paneled in wood and she wanted to brighten the look. Whenever she brought it up my dad let it pass, expressing that he didn't think that it was necessary.
Quite a few years later we lost my dad at the very young age of 61. Mom stayed in the house and at this time I lived in Tampa, Florida. On one of our many trips home we were greeted in the driveway by a very joyous mom. She had a surprise for me and was hurrying us indoors. There on the living room wall were the stunning mirrors. She clapped her hands in delight and exclaimed: "Your dad always wanted to do this, but we never got around to it!" I smiled to myself and was so happy that she finally realized her decorating dream.
For a few years, we visited and saw our reflections in this beautiful wall. It didn't last long enough. One Saturday morning while I was at work I received that fateful call from my mom's best friend. I had suddenly lost her forever. The solemn ride from Tampa to Jacksonville filled me with such sadness. I had lost my best friend. My feeling is that when you lose your mom that is truly the day you have to grow up.
Years later on a nostalgic trip home we pulled into the driveway of my parents' home. It had been sold years before, but that the front looked the same was very comforting. We sat in silence and remembered. All of a sudden the front door opened and a petite elderly lady approached the car. I asked her not to be frightened and explained that this was my childhood home and we just wanted to sit a bit. She said that she heard about my mom from a neighbor and how beautiful her backyard garden was. She implored me to come around back and help her recreate the look of my mom's yard. The front of the home is one thing and the back another. I can do this for her!
As I walked around back I tried not to glance through the living room windows. I couldn't bear to see other furniture occupying this treasured space. We chatted about landscaping ideas and then it happened. As I was leaving my eyes caught hold of the mirrors shining brightly through the glass sliding doors. I said my goodbyes and got into my car. The tears came fast and furiously. The mirrors that she loved were here and she wasn't!
Why do we wait so long to fulfill some obtainable dreams? Why do we fill our lives with the "Someday I will.......!" statements? What are you waiting for? Share your story with me - jax6014@aol.com
Picture Copyright: bialasiewicz / 123RF Stock Photo
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