Thank God for the life of Marion Young. Ninety three years old and her basic personality still shown forth. She just didn’t know how to give up. Her mind ravaged by Alzheimer’s, my mother passed away in her sleep this evening about 6PM.
I love my mother deeply, but I’m glad she finally went. You see, she was always my intellectual foil – the mother who was always one bit of smarts ahead of me. A fierce reader, she used to do the New York Times crossword puzzle in ink.
The woman who could not remember my name or even what relation I was to her was not really my mother – certainly not the Mom I will remember. The one good thing about her dementia was that she remained unaware of the death of her own daughter – my sister Karen who died last September.
I am a walking example of the Biblical imperative to “raise up a child in the ways of the Lord.” Though I rejected the faith as a young man, I returned to my deep Christian roots while in my 30s. Though I am sad she is gone, I also know my real mother died awhile back when the dementia robbed her of her mind and personality, and I know she is not only with God, but with my sister and her beloved Carey as well.
Keep a seat for me, Mom. I’m in no hurry to join you, but I’ll be there some day.
