Making memories

I’ve been thinking about my mom a lot lately. She passed away March 20, 2008 at age 81. I’m working on a memory book about her, with entries from my seven siblings, some aunts and friends. It’s almost done. I only have to finalize the copy, add the photos and have a designer do the layout. Yet, just as the shoemaker who can’t fix his family’s shoes, I’m dragging my feet on this project. I’m not sure why. I can get my clients' work done on schedule, whether it’s a newsletter, annual report, community report, e-newsletter, speech or Web site. But implementing my own ideas or completing non-compensatory projects often loom as monumental challenges.

Maybe it’s because I don’t think the actual book could ever encapsulate what a tremendous presence my mother had on our lives: not only her kids, but also nearly everyone she came in contact with. She was quiet but underneath that sea of calm was a churning of ideas, concern, compassion, questions and connection. She loved people and learning about them. Rather than having a WIIFM attitude (what’s in it for me), she took the perspective of how she could improve other people’s lives.

With a family of eight children and a solid 50-plus year marriage, she didn’t have a chance to fully develop her career abilities. That was a different era, yet she had earned a bachelor’s degree from Marygrove College in Detroit and two master’s degrees: from Wayne State University in Detroit and Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. Once the kids were older, she became director of the religious education program at St. Alphonsus in Dearborn, our home parish. For about 10 years, that was her illustrious career. During that time, she impacted many lives and hosted fun holiday parties.

Writing this blog entry is motivational. I will continue on. I will complete it…hopefully in time for our family reunion this Labor Day weekend. I’ll just focus on how cool it will be for her family and friends to have a keepsake memory book of a wonderful woman who quietly spoke volumes about the true values in life.