Steven's remembrance at the memorial reception
As many of you know, my mom and I had a relationship that I often found challenging. In recent years I've been trying to find my way to be at piece within it, and I know that journey will continue even though she is no longer here. There were good times and bad with her, but in the good times she offered Joe and me support, love, and an example of how to be. I'd like to share just one recent example now.
A little under a year ago, her physical and mental health both took a turn for the worse, and a good friend, Susan, helped her find a new place to live, in an assisted living facility, Creekside. This will no doubt be the fate of many of us, and, being the fiercely individualistic person she was, it's something she truly did not want to do. She wanted to live on her own, being responsible for her own affairs. But she accepted the need to move to a place where she could get more care.
But she also did something that would not be easy for me, or, I believe, for most people. The director of the facility told me a few days ago that Ma made a conscious choice, not just to accept her new situation, but to embrace it. She made a point of connecting with the other residents, making many new friends there. She decided to become an unofficial ambassador to incoming residents of Creekside, as well as new staff. All of the friends and family who have been in contact with her during this last year have said that she seemed calmer and happier than she had been for a long time. And when the news came to Creekside that she had passed, the director told me that she made a special trip in to comfort the staff, because everyone there had become attached to Ma.
I'm sure many people would be angry with the world if they found themselves in a situation where they were unable to enjoy the freedom they once had, and I have some concern I'll feel the same way if that moment comes for me. But Ma showed me through her example how to accept the unavoidable, and how to turn a feared moment into one in which one may thrive and bring joy to others. So thank you, Ma, for teaching me that lesson.