When Memories Stir...

A quick view,

a touch,

a scent 

can all bring back memories.

I find that when these memories surface,

they can also bring back the emotions of that moment.

With happy memories,

I smile.

That's why photos are so important to me.

Living in the moment is important.

I know a lot of people feel that you should live entirely in that moment, whether on a trip or attending an event,

but I have found that if I want to remember the joy of that moment,

a photo brings the emotions, too.

I was cleaning out a drawer yesterday, and I found this vial of perfume.  I was very surprised because this vial is over 40 years old, and it belonged to my mother.

Emotions really stirred in my heart. 

She died 34 years ago, and the scent of the perfume is strong.  She used to wear this everyday.  I don't remember the name of it, but she loved this perfume!

She was an exceptional woman who carved her way through the business world, and, in an age where women rarely rose through the ranks, she worked her way up in her company from a secretary to vice president of the firm for which she worked.

She was sought after as a business woman. 

She was well liked in the community.

I still grieve for her, but I have had to accept the fact that she cannot be with me, except in spirit.

So, as I drink my glass of wine tonight, I toast my mother and thank her for bringing me up in the way she did.

I have become strong.

I have borne a great load on my shoulders.

If it hadn't been for her, I would have never known how to do this.

So, I remember the blessing of her mothering, and I give thanks for that.

I was truly blessed.