Happy Birthday Mom!!
My Mom has taken herself out of reach for this special day. She has taken a trip to the true Pacific Northwest. She is in Prince Rupert, north, west coast Canada quietly celebrating the day of her birth. Well I hope the ocean is lapping and the sun is sparkling upon it!
My Mom is the reason I move around and, the reason I love Canada. She moved us to British Columbia from Calgary, Alberta when I was 13. We left Canada's version of Texas for the liberal and lovely west coast. Effectively dissolving my desire to leave my country permanently when I completed school. Vancouver became my home.
Home can be a difficult word. Home is where the heart is, that's what they always say. Where does that lie for my Mom?
This is my Mom's first year living in Canada in just under a decade. I'm sure it's difficult. When I left my 'home' I idealized it, when I returned I saw things that I'd never seen before -
and it was not at all the same to me. All I think about these days is the last place I lived - New York City. I am beginning to like France but, I miss home terribly. I miss New York City. Who's to say what will occur for myself, where I will land. My Mom, who was last in China, has returned to our beautiful nation, Canada.
When I think of British Columbia and it's virtues, I dream of the
trees, the rich dark undergrowth of a rain forest and the green. I also think of the people that I love, my family and friends. And, I know that something is amiss in me without them. If I return, it may take time for us all to adjust. To make room for one another, physically and emotionally.
Maybe my Mom is searching for that comfort. That comfort that comes with time. She always talks of the scent of the ocean and loves the earth. I remember long car rides with random questions about how a valley was formed or why that mountain slid. My sister usually managed to have the answers, despite her comparative youth. Now I'd like another chance, not to answer those questions but, to be asked. I have no idea what created that particular land formation in this particular area. I do know that huge boulders can pop up in unlikely places due to the melting of ice during the Ice Age, thus moving really large rocks all about. Really, I'd just like to pay attention.
Possibly next year, when Mom feels more at home, we can gather by the sea. My Mom, my sister and I. We have not been together since three Christmas's ago. We are all lone rangers in one way or another. Let's hope our gathering place will become established and we will all make the effort. I love you Mom. We're getting there. With any luck, you'll read this today!
Have a happy birthday and I look forward to being with you and your other daughter, for your next one! From this daughter:
Love you, C
My Mom has taken herself out of reach for this special day. She has taken a trip to the true Pacific Northwest. She is in Prince Rupert, north, west coast Canada quietly celebrating the day of her birth. Well I hope the ocean is lapping and the sun is sparkling upon it!
My Mom is the reason I move around and, the reason I love Canada. She moved us to British Columbia from Calgary, Alberta when I was 13. We left Canada's version of Texas for the liberal and lovely west coast. Effectively dissolving my desire to leave my country permanently when I completed school. Vancouver became my home.
Home can be a difficult word. Home is where the heart is, that's what they always say. Where does that lie for my Mom?
This is my Mom's first year living in Canada in just under a decade. I'm sure it's difficult. When I left my 'home' I idealized it, when I returned I saw things that I'd never seen before -
and it was not at all the same to me. All I think about these days is the last place I lived - New York City. I am beginning to like France but, I miss home terribly. I miss New York City. Who's to say what will occur for myself, where I will land. My Mom, who was last in China, has returned to our beautiful nation, Canada. When I think of British Columbia and it's virtues, I dream of the
trees, the rich dark undergrowth of a rain forest and the green. I also think of the people that I love, my family and friends. And, I know that something is amiss in me without them. If I return, it may take time for us all to adjust. To make room for one another, physically and emotionally.Maybe my Mom is searching for that comfort. That comfort that comes with time. She always talks of the scent of the ocean and loves the earth. I remember long car rides with random questions about how a valley was formed or why that mountain slid. My sister usually managed to have the answers, despite her comparative youth. Now I'd like another chance, not to answer those questions but, to be asked. I have no idea what created that particular land formation in this particular area. I do know that huge boulders can pop up in unlikely places due to the melting of ice during the Ice Age, thus moving really large rocks all about. Really, I'd just like to pay attention.
Possibly next year, when Mom feels more at home, we can gather by the sea. My Mom, my sister and I. We have not been together since three Christmas's ago. We are all lone rangers in one way or another. Let's hope our gathering place will become established and we will all make the effort. I love you Mom. We're getting there. With any luck, you'll read this today!
Have a happy birthday and I look forward to being with you and your other daughter, for your next one! From this daughter:
Love you, C
Comments
What a wonderful accolade and I thank you. I actually used you and Jo's gift, the camera on my mini vacation. I managed to figure out how to take two pictures and I am so proud of myself. I would send them to you, but learning how to download to a computer is next years project.
I miss you too, and I will call you in the morning. I got your message today but it was too late to call you back.
Have a wonderful day, mom
ps: It was so good to see and smell the ocean and the flowers - rhododendriums and cherry. I feel like I have been living in a desert this past year. It was good for my soul. And the drive was magnificant and it was sunny - about as good a birthday you could have without your family being with you.