And Now, Too.

“Stroke. . . congestive heart failure. . ." the emergency room doctor was kindly but accurately feeding me answers to my questions. “Yes. . . I would say it is time to call all the family. . .”

No! My heart insisted! The doctor’s words swirled around in my head. I marveled that I was so shocked by them. My Mother was 96. When she was rushed to the hospital, I knew it was serious. Hadn’t I prepared myself for this? My husband was with me. That was good. Mother was lying there vulnerable and small on the hospital bed. Yes. I must call my brothers and my children. I must call my pastor.

But now I must talk to my Mom. I leaned over my mother and told her I loved her and Jesus loved her. I prayed for her. I thought Mom looked at me with comprehending eyes but she seemed unable to speak. “Stroke!” “Short time.. maybe hours…” The words pounded in my head.

My mother and I always had a close relationship although we were geographically apart much of my adult life. When I was in college she wrote to me every day in clear neat penmanship with an old-fashioned fountain pen…detailing events of the day, expressing interest in my life, expressing love, hope for the future and faith in God.

Don and I were privileged to have her live with us the last four years of her life. And she had become a part of my everyday experience. She greeted me with her radiant smile every morning as I left the house and every afternoon when I returned.

Now she was dying. What was most important to say to my Mom? “Mother, thank you for loving me over all the years of my life,” I said.

She looked at me with warmth and understanding. She strained to speak and finally after a long pause, she spoke three significant words slowly and with difficulty, “And NOW, too.”

These several years later when I miss my Mom, I am warmed by her simple gift to me before she went to be with her Lord: continuing, enduring love--love to the end of life--expressed in her last three words to me on this earth: “And now, too.”