A velvet rose petal
gently took flight and
flew up to the heavens
and found a home
in the hands of
Her Creator.
Looking down, he
smiled at the petal
and whispered, "I
have been waiting
for you. For did you
not accomplish
that which you
set out to do? Did
you not strive to
do each task well?
Did you not love
all your brothers
and sisters without
regard for gender, race,
sexual orientation or
wealth? Did you not
raise three independent
daughters like yourself?
Maggie, you have lived
your life well and I would
be honored to call you
my dear friend and
welcome you Home.
Today Janet Louise in Friday's Gather Writing Essential gave the following prompt and I couldn't help but think this is how my Mom lived throughout her life.
The secret of seeing is to sail on solar wind. Hone and spread your spirit till you yourself are a sail, whetted, translucent, broadside to the merest puff. ~ Annie Dillard
Marguerite Ketchen Mills (June, 2008)
January 26, 1917- August 7, 2008
Mom's Memorial Service will take place at The First Church of Plymouth on August 23, 2008. My sister Anne is in China teaching English for eight weeks and will not return until the 20th. We have chosen not to tell her of Mom's passing until she comes home because Mom would have said in a clear loud voice if we had asked "You finish what you start, you leave no task undone."
Today I received a phone call from Peter J. Gomes, Plummer Professor of Christian Morals and Pusey Minister in the Memorial Church and Member of the Faculty of Divinity at Harvard School of Divinity and he said he would be honored to conduct Mom's Service. For was it not Mom who encouraged him as a high school student to pursue a college degree. Mom and Peter have continued the friendship through the ages and only last week he was visiting with her at Newfield House.
Thank you all for your lovely notes and messages of love and support. I feel honored to be a part of such a warm and supportive community. Your beautiful prayers and energy have supported me over the past year. Blessings on all of you.
And Magi, I loved your gentle kind words in the poem you quilled for Mom, especially these lines:
"I sit without yesterday and tomorrow
at table with paper and pen
to write about new morning dawning
seen through clear eyes looking afresh
at dew drops catching the sun"
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Comments: 58
The Divinity School is a great place.
we are all going to miss Maggie, I think
I'm with you in your thoughts as the death of yur mother makes you ponder on the meaning of life. When my mother died, I was told that the Creator needed her and He had called her for that reason.
Although I was trained as a logically thinking engineer, I knew that my mother had truly answered God's call. Not to be away from us but to guide us from a high place where she would be able to be a true light for us.
I know that she thinks of me all the time and that she sends me messages that I cannot here but I receive them nevertheless.
You too, Bob, will receive those messages. You too will be guided. You too will realise that one of the angels in heaven gave birth to you. What could be more special?
Featured on Friday Writing Essentials. What a wonderful tribute to Maggie. I loved the poem offered by Magi and Phyllis as well!
~Peace
Grems
She blooms in heaven, my dear friend.
It was my honour to pen a few words for you mother.
Your touching poem made me cry.
I am so sorry to hear of her death, but it appears she had done her job and God needed her now.
Prayers and warm throught go to all of you
My sisters and I were blessed to have a Mother like Mom. She was fiercely independent, believed women had just as much as men to contribute to society, and raised her children and grandchildren with the belief that one should strive to do their very best. Education was very important to her, she often said it was the "key" to living a full life.
Mom had a public face and then she had her private one that only her family could see. Yesterday, the Old Colony Memorial (the Plymouth newspaper she worked at for 52 years) called and told me they were creating a 4 page (though it could have been 8, I wasn't listening closely) insert for the paper this week paying tribute to Mom. The reporter said they were going to use snipperts from her series "Time Lines" that were featured each week in Home and Living, her many awards as well as public activities (for many years she was The Lady of Plymouth). She took pride in being The Grand Marshall of the Fourth of July parades, especially the one in 1976. The funny thing that was mentioned by the reporter yesterday was the fact that Mom had on file at the paper her own obituary that she had written over ten years ago. I had to smile...that was like Mom...she left no task unfinished. For many years, she wrote the obits for the paper and took that job very seriously. People liked to read her obits because she liked to interview the family and find out things to include that were not public knowledge. And so the reporter wanted to interview us and discover those kind of tidbits.
That is a beautiful poem. As I told you last night on the phone, I am honored.
Thank you Karen for stopping by.
Kathryn:
She was an amazing woman. Thank you for the feature.
I am so glad that you were able to spend the afternoon with Mom and listen to her stories. That day you got a true glimpse of the woman that raised me.
Deb: I'm glad Tonia shared her day with you...and you too got to know my Mom. Thank you for your kind thoughts.
Your comment brought tears to my eyes...yes, I think we all will miss her spunky personality. She was a card...it was always amazing to me to hear "her take on life".
Thank you Natalie...she was my velvet rose petal.
What beautiful thoughts you penned for me. Yes, I imagine she will be sending me messages to guide me throughout life. She is a shining beacon. Yesterday afternoon I was with my niece Shannon (Anne's daughter) and going through photos I have taken over the years of the"private Maggie) and we we just laughing about some of the things Mom would say and do.
Thanks for the HUGS, Cheryl.
Jan: not only but YOU inspired this prompt today. Thank you for all your support over the last year.
Thank you Apryl for your kind words.
Nana, thank you for your thoughts and prayers.
Grems, Mom believed in definitely that one should have stimulating conversations at the dinner table so I am sure at the Table in the Sky, she is continuing this tradition.
Marge, she was most remarkable.
Yes, Sonia, though sad for us left behind, Mom said it all in her last words, "I am tired." She knew it was her time to leave.
Thank you Judi...I bow to you.
For the past two weeks I knew the end was near for did I not see the blue heron who resides on the reservoir behind our house spend most of his days here on the pond....fishing over at Mom's beach and then my sister Anne's beach, and settling on my dock. A message...quiet but clear.
I really have no words, my dear, only loving thoughts, virtual hugs and prayers.
Love and light,
Bobbi
Your poetic words are so lovely. My own mom died 3 yrs ago and your words bring back that time to me.
If I can be just half the woman she was in her life, I will be most content. She provided such a strong role model for not only her three daughters but for her grandchildren and great grandchildren. Her great grandchild Alyssa graduated this spring from Simmons College majoring in English and Women's Studies and is both a writer and activist. This year she will be teaching in AmeriCorps.
I am so sorry to hear of your dear Mom's passing. I, too, felt as if I knew her because you painted us all such a lovely picture of who she was as a Mom, as a human being. She has raised such wonderful daughters...smart, inquisitive, independent and giving. That legacy...the true testament to a Mom. Spirits under her care who have soared.
Losing my Mom was the hardest thing that I have ever done. But I have to believe that she waits up there for us all, on a higher plane. And when we pass, she'll be up there impatiently herding us all onward, thrilled at the reunion of her children, her smile as wide as the sky. And she'll have us all wait, as a group... there at the crest of eternity, until her brood is all assembled, "C'mon kiddos! C'mon! It's heavenly here!" she'll beam. And we'll all set off on that final adventure together.
When my Mom died, I found this poem by Henry Van Dyke. It so captured my heart, and eased the pain that I felt as she left us all. I pray that it does the same for you and your sisters, and all of your "brood". You are all in my thoughts and prayers...
Parable of Immortality:
I am standing by the seashore.
A ship at my side spreads her white sails to the morning breeze
and starts for the blue ocean.
She is an object of beauty and strength,
And I stand and watch until at last she hangs like a peck of white cloud
Just where the sun and sky come down to mingle with each other.
Then someone at my side says :
- 'There she goes!
Gone where?
Gone from my sight - that is all.
She is just as large in mast and hull and spar
As she was when she left my side
And just as able to bear her load of living freight
To the places of destination.
Her diminished size is in me, not in her.
And just at the moment when someone at my side says:
- 'There she goes! ',
There are other eyes watching her coming,
And other voices ready to take up the glad shout :
- 'Here she comes!'
Patricia F., Aug 9, 2008, 1:00pm EDT
Oh such kind words and the poem by Henry Van Dyke is just perfect. It will definitely feel different not visiting with her everyday. I did walk in her house the other day to return some of her things from the Nursing Home...hanging each picture where it belonged...and putting her little "figures" on the fireplace. And as I sat at the kitchen table I thought of all the noise and activity this little room had over the years...all the Sunday morning breakfasts that took place (throughout the years we ALL were there for Sunday breakfast...kids, grandkids, great grandkids, neighbors and friends). During the week Mom was a busy reporter and it was only on Sundays did she have time to "cook a meal". Mom wasn't a great cook and we all would laugh when the fire alarm would go off because she was burning the bacon. In later years, Will would do the cooking just so we wouldn't have to put up with the fire alarm and the opening of all the sliders in the middle of winter.
Now see, you brought back a memory. I sure hope God doesn't want her to cook up there...and if he does, I hope he has fire alarms.
May God send you and your family comfort in these sad days.
Thank you for your kind words. What I have are hundreds of interview tapes...Mom interviewing other people. That's how she wrote her stories.
now i think i'll go hug my mom and send a hug to you at the same time, my dear bob.
much love and peace to you.
Now if we can just get through tomorrow. I've been keeping myself busy writing little articles about the girls to keep my mind off what is coming. Peace, Jessie.
God bless always...
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