Share Feelings With Loved Ones

Sat., Aug. 5, 2000

Suzanne Griesemer Special To Opinion

More than 10 years ago, I watched the “crash cart team” at a Spokane hospital restart my mother’s heart. She had just gone through quadruple bypass surgery. I am so grateful that she is still here with us today and will soon turn 80 years old.

Our mother, Ruthe L. Spears, is one in a million.

She lives in Ione, and we are having a family reunion this weekend in Spokane to celebrate her birthday. All of us have been asked to share with Mom how she has made a difference in our lives.

I hope to honor my mother now and remind people that life is too short to forget to say, “I love you.” Do it today while your loved ones are still around. I am so grateful that our family will be able to shower our mother with flowers, accolades and love while she is still alive to receive it. Granted, flowers sent out of respect to the deceased are a thoughtful expression to family members, but how much more meaningful would it be instead to send flowers to loved ones while they are still around to appreciate them.

Elegant eulogies may comfort surviving family members, but it means more to shower others with expressions of love, respect and admiration while they are still around to hear it. Silent caskets cannot reward us with tears of joy. None of us are promised another minute, hour or day of life. The words we speak to our loved ones might be the last opportunity we have to leave them with loving and positive sentiments.

My mother, for instance, gave up a half-year of her life so I could finish one college semester. She babysat my youngest child who was too young to attend nursery school. She just made the long trek to California to be present at that child’s college graduation and subsequent wedding two weeks later. Like many other mothers in many families, Mom has been our “Rock of Gibraltar” in difficult times, providing wisdom and love. Even though she lives on her small Social Security income, she never fails to make our birthdays, anniversaries and Christmas times so special.“Ours” refers to five children, 13 grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren and spouses. Here’s to you, Mom. May you be blessed with many more years to come!

I leave you readers with a challenge. Pick up your telephone, pen or keyboard and tell your loved ones how special they are to you. Better yet, if you are able to go the extra mile (literally), tell them in person. Do it now; tomorrow may be too late.

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