Thinking Out Loud, Volume CDLXII

Mom knew she was dying. And we knew she knew. There's just something about when we're aware that someone we love knows they're about to die, we hang on to every word they speak, because we know they're talking about things that matter. Often their voices are weak, so we bend down closer to them so we can be sure to hear every word, and we'll promise them anything they request. What would you think would be some of the things the four of us heard from our mother? Maybe to make sure we work as hard as possible so we can provide well for our families? Or do you think she would be instructing us how to spend what little money she was leaving us? Actually, I don't think she was worried us working hard, because she was aware of our work ethic. She also knew we wouldn't be unwise with our inheritance. She didn't have the extra breath to waste on things she knew we would most likely do anyway. She wanted her final instructions to make a difference. Somehow, in her wisdom, Mom looked ahead and saw where our challenges would be, and she directed her instructions to us in those areas. Maybe it's because she knew how busy our lives were, and she considered the fact that we are all separated geographically, making it easy to become so involved in our own lives that we would begin to neglect each other. Therefore, she challenged us: Don't drift apart. Make sure you still have family get-togethers after I'm gone. Don't allow little differences of opinion to cause division among you. Stay united. I was paraphrasing there because I don't recall what her exact words were, but that was the basic message. I remember her telling me one day, several years before her death, that she understood that when our kids grew up and moved away, they would want to come back to our house for big holidays, like Christmas, but she still insisted that we siblings plan to get back to her house as often as possible. I often heard her say that she was happiest when she had all her kids at home at the same time. Does that sound like something your mother would say? Parents don't want division among their kids, especially after they're grown. She taught us to love each other and not to let our differences separate us. Those instructions were from a biological parent, but doesn't it stand to reason that our Heavenly Father would tell us the same thing? We're all wise enough to understand that no two of us will always be in full agreement on everything, and if we're not careful, we'll focus on what few differences we have, while neglecting the much larger areas where we agree. Mom knew the miles that separate her kids would present challenges, but I must say, we're doing our best to live up to her wishes. Mom's dying wish was that we always love God and love each other, and she instructed us accordingly, because those are the things that matter. Preston