In loving memory

"Frühlingserwachen"

With Mother's Day coming up this Sunday I've been feeling subdued all week. (For new readers - my Mom sadly passed away shortly before Christmas last year). Since I can remember this special day had always been a mother/daughter day. As a girl I used to craft a little something for my Mom  and when I was older I treated her to coffee and cake at a nice café. This was our tradition and we looked forward to it every year.

The above watercolor was the last thing we talked about right before her voice disappeared. At the hospice there was an art therapist that sat with us each day. My Mom's favorite season had always been spring, so the artist painted a beautiful tree with fresh green grass below and later added a little hedgehog, a kitty and birdies. We named it "Frühlingserwachen" spring awakening and we had hung it on the wall, so that my Mom was able to see it from her bed.

When my Mom passed and I went to retrieve her items the first thing I noticed was that the painting was missing. At the time I was so distraught that it really freaked me out, especially because it was the last thing we talked about, plus her final wish had been for me to have it framed! In hindsight I probably drove the entire staff crazy by having them search every nook and cranny for it. Somebody eventually found it in a drawer, which made me burst into tears. Everyone was sympathetic though.

my mom's cat Sumi

The weeks that followed were horrible. I had just lost my Mom, my best friend and confidante. All I wanted was to crawl into bed and grieve. Of course, this wasn't possible. I'm sure anyone who has lost a close relative can relate how tedious it is to cut through the red tape and having to deal with authorities, notaries, banks etc. I've encountered some tough situations before, but this was beyond awful. It took all of my energy to keep my shop up and running, especially since the first quarter is typically my busiest! With everything else going on I'm surprised I still achieved my sales goals. I'm currently tying up loose ends, but I can finally see a light at the end of a long, dark tunnel...

Sumi, my Mom's cat of twelve years has grown very attached to me. If it were up to her she'd love to have me all to herself! I sincerely hope that she will live a long and happy cat life despite her medical condition. P.s. she really, really loves that pink rug, which is already looking a bit frayed :)

My mother had rescued countless feral cats and two street dogs throughout her life, and at one point even took in a very sick and undernourished street kid, took him to the hospital to be treated, and then gave him a bed, fed and nursed him back to health. Too bad the kid's much older brother, a real bully, came and took him away one night. We never heard of him again. I sometimes wonder whether the boy remembers the loving care he received from my Mom all those years ago.

My mother was such a gentle soul and she always provided a safe and loving home for my brother and me. We were very lucky! My brother and I wanted to honor our Mom in a special and meaningful way. So we sponsored a cat condo at The Washington Animal Rescue League. It's now got a plaque with our mother's name on it. WARL, founded in 1914, a private non-profit is the oldest animal welfare shelter in Washington D.C. They have a neat search site for adoptable kitties, so if you live in the area and are looking for a pet, do consider giving a shelter cat or dog a loving furever home! #adoptdontshop

In the picture above (not sure what year this was, probably 80s judging by the perm) my Mom is busy at work in the little aromatherapy shop she shared with a friend. My mother was a trained aromatherapist and foot reflexologist. I learned so much about essential oils from her and am now the proud owner of Valerie Ann Worwood's The Fragant Pharmacy, an encyclopedic tome on the many diverse benefits of essential oils and which I reference often.

This Mother's Day I will buy a bouquet of my Mom's favorite flowers, put on some jazzy tunes (my Mom's favorite), diffuse her favorite aromatherapy oils (rose and geranium) and remember all the special moments we shared. I miss her dearly.