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Annie Moosee

(99 posts)
Fri Jun 28, 2024, 03:35 PM Jun 2024

She was a Hero; Not A Saint

In 1943, on (or about?) the seventh day of the seventh month, my mom was born. Or delivered; as she was evaluated as being dead at birth. When she did begin to move and cry, the orderly freaked out and grabbed her by her ankle.

On her first day at school, a boy pulled her bright red braid and got a beating from the five or six year old girl that she was. Still in grade school, she spoke at a school board meeting to argue that the girl that was pregnant should be allowed to stay in school because she was a kind and helpful person and had been such a help to the students and teachers of the grade school classes. My young mother was so nervous as a little girl that the janitor found a jacket or shirt to hide where she had wet herself. They decided to let the pregnant girl study after hours.

She saved people's lives and helped many others. From making free lunches for the mostly people of color hired as handymen, cleaners, maids, and other low paid workers; to making one of the first women's crisis line an active and effective place for survivors of sexual assault.

But she wasn't a saint, and she didn't have a lot of patience. Even in the last eleven years after we moved in together in Tennessee, I still was subject to her frustrations and judgments.

But none of the issues change the fact that I miss her. Since her admission to the hospital for end stage lung cancer, to her death five days later on the twelfth day of the twelfth month, to today: I miss her. I miss the fun we frequently had. I miss the jokes we shared. I miss the compassion for all of life that she had. Her care and concern for people to animals.

I want to tell her story, I want people to know her - warts and all, as they say. But I am also part of her story. So it would be my story too.

I'm in the middle of my first year without her. And last month, my 17 year old miracle dog passed away. I feel so broken and lost. My eyes are frequently puffy from crying ("Are you having allergies?" I'm asked). And smiling is difficult now. ("What's wrong? You look so grumpy anymore!" ) I guess I now have a "resting grief face."

I guess that's all for now. Thanks for reading.

16 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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She was a Hero; Not A Saint (Original Post) Annie Moosee Jun 2024 OP
Thank you for the story about your mother. Irish_Dem Jun 2024 #1
((🌺)) Deuxcents Jun 2024 #2
Thanks for Sharing beemerphill Jun 2024 #3
Continue the legacy leanforward Jun 2024 #4
So beautiful. delisen Jun 2024 #5
"A mother's love is the most powerful force on Earth." red dog 1 Jun 2024 #6
dec 21 2003 , i lost my mom @ 11 pm. 25 years now gone , and yes i still miss her. AllaN01Bear Jun 2024 #7
I too thank you as others have GreenWave Jun 2024 #8
What a lovely tribute Bayard Jun 2024 #9
What she said! 👍 Duppers Jun 2024 #12
That was FABULOUS !!!! Karadeniz Jun 2024 #10
ain't none of us saints... ret5hd Jun 2024 #11
K And R ...no text Stuart G Jun 2024 #13
Thank you for your mother's story. And yours. You both sound like people japple Jun 2024 #14
I was so moved by your story. I'm sending oasis Jun 2024 #15
Thank you for sharing your story. wnylib Jun 2024 #16

Irish_Dem

(55,955 posts)
1. Thank you for the story about your mother.
Fri Jun 28, 2024, 03:40 PM
Jun 2024

The older I get the more I realize the importance of our stories, and the stories of others.

beemerphill

(507 posts)
3. Thanks for Sharing
Fri Jun 28, 2024, 03:42 PM
Jun 2024

Your Mom sounds like the kind of person many of us would like to be. I am happy that you had all the years to be with her and learn from her.

AllaN01Bear

(22,968 posts)
7. dec 21 2003 , i lost my mom @ 11 pm. 25 years now gone , and yes i still miss her.
Fri Jun 28, 2024, 04:04 PM
Jun 2024

with both parentel units gone , i feel empty. du , i love u all.

GreenWave

(8,981 posts)
8. I too thank you as others have
Fri Jun 28, 2024, 04:05 PM
Jun 2024

And like many others I lost my mom too. She loved JFK and to think she too passed away one Nov. 22nd... Can't type right now...

Bayard

(24,145 posts)
9. What a lovely tribute
Fri Jun 28, 2024, 04:09 PM
Jun 2024

Your Mom sounds like a wonderful person, and you have every right to miss her, and your pupster.

As long as you remember them, they live on.

japple

(10,292 posts)
14. Thank you for your mother's story. And yours. You both sound like people
Sat Jun 29, 2024, 07:55 PM
Jun 2024

I would like to know. Keep on writing, and I'll keep on reading. Esp. as there is a Tennessee connection!
Peace out...

oasis

(51,585 posts)
15. I was so moved by your story. I'm sending
Sat Jun 29, 2024, 08:51 PM
Jun 2024

my good thoughts to you tonight hoping the care I have for your situation can be somewhat uplifting.

wnylib

(24,223 posts)
16. Thank you for sharing your story.
Sat Jun 29, 2024, 09:36 PM
Jun 2024

Many of us can relate to the grief of losing loved ones. It hurts so much because of the love that makes us feel so rich and happy to have someone so close to us in our lives. Their passing leaves a hole that cannot be filled. The feeling of loss never goes away completely, but in time after the first full year without them, it's possible to think of them with a smile for the good times and to feel grateful for having known them despite the pain of losing them.

Hang in there. A double loss makes the pain greater. But one step at a time will get you through to the time when you speak fondly of both your mother and your dog with a smile and can tell favorite stories about them.

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