littlemarymixup!

Can you believe it? My good friend found this Littlemarymixup Book for my Christmas present! It's funny that I have only come to realize where my mother got this nickname for me in the last year....maybe the last 6 months. Mom just died a couple of years ago....imagine that in all of the years that she would toss out her "littlemarymixup" line after one of my own little stories, it never occurred to me to ask her where she got the name! Now that she's not able to answer, it's been coming to me slowly....through others. 

We just met a lovely older woman and her husband while we were in Vermont skiing at New Years. The gentleman was 80 years old, the lady was 78 when we began chatting over lunch in the Stratton lodge. Since their age came up in conversation, I thought to ask if they knew of the littlemarymixup cartoon. THEY DID! 

Of course they did...they were of a certain age and proud of it, like my mom. They  were most interesting and so upbeat! Well, to say they were upbeat was an understatement.....the gentleman had just come in from skiing!!!!  80 years old and skiing! Their generation seems to be the good, strong Americans that keep on going no matter what. It seems to me that those of that generation have been the get it done generation. 

They have all lived through so much change and have survived the difficult days without big complaints or whining about troubles.....most I know seem to keep pushing onward and upward! How could we not look to them as role models. They're not all around anymore but the ones who have left us have given us their strength and good example to emulate.

We are truly blessed to learn from the generations ahead of us. We learn from history and those that go before us. 

How many wonderful older people are in our lives? How can we all give them the respect that they deserve? Do we ever thank a veteran for protecting our free country? Do we really give them the respect that should come with age and life experience? Do we take time to look an older person in the eye and smile as we pass through the doors of the local coffee shop or pharmacy? 

We may not have everyone we love with us anymore. I know I wish I could ask mom more questions. More than just the littlemarymixup questions. I had lots of time with mom and we spent plenty fo time chatting and discussing the world, the family, the fashions of today, our feelings, our ups, our downs, our joys and blessings.....and still, there's so  much more I wish I could know from her. Everyday, something comes up and I wish I could call her to ask. Sometimes little things. Sometimes family history. 

I am grateful for so much time with mom. I am grateful for our laughter and even some of our little frustrations with each other along the way...they made our relationship stronger and deeper. I was blessed to really know my mother and much of her family. But, I'll always have questions. Mostly about the simplest things.