Joyful Living

Have you ever noticed that there are people who are "dead" before they physically die? Then there are those who live life to the fullest until the very end. Their cup is always overflowing, and they are truly alive as long as there is one breath left in them.

I am thinking about a dear family friend who entered my life on January 14, 1973. I was 17 years-old, and it was Super Bowl Sunday. My mom and I decided to go visit the new family in the neighborhood on that Sunday afternoon. That is the first clue that I did not come from a family of sports fans. Who drops in for a visit on Super Bowl Sunday?? Well...we did.

The new family was from Florida, and they were sports enthusiasts. You may already know that, in 1973, the Miami Dolphins played in the Super Bowl, defeating the Washington Redskins 14 - 7. (Did I mention that the new family was from Florida?!) This game proved to be Miami's 17th straight victory, and the first ever undefeated season in the NFL.

I am surprised that they forgave us for dropping in on that Sunday afternoon. But, the truth is that our families became dear friends.

"Ma M" had a daughter who was also a junior in high school. We became lifelong friends, even though they only lived in NC for one year, then moved back to Florida.

Ma M "adopted" me as a second daughter, and always made me feel welcome in her home. One of my favorite memories centers around the piano as Ma M loved to sing. And, she sang with gusto. I would play the piano as she belted out songs like "This Was a Real Nice Clambake" and "I'm Just a Girl Who Can't Say No".

Ma M appreciated beauty. She loved to garden, and grew some of the most gorgeous flowers around.

Ma M had a great sense of humor and loved to laugh. On an occasion when I was spending the night in her home, Louise (her daughter) and I came in to find a bed filled with salt, compliments of Ma M. I am sure that she was in her room having a good belly laugh over that. I recently learned that she had put salt in our bed as Louise had told her that she could not go out with us on that night.

There are so many other thoughts about Ma M that come to mind.....how she treated me (and my three sisters) to trips to Disney World when we graduated from high school......how she mailed the state quarters (one from each U.S. mint) to my son over the last few years....how she included me in a family vacation to Washington, D.C. in 1977, just months before I became an active duty Air Force Nurse.....how she recently sent money to help with tire expenses when she knew that finances were tight.

In the last couple of days, I read a quote which spoke to me...."Some cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go." (Oscar Wilde)

Ma M definitely caused happiness wherever she went.

On Jan 28, 2010 I made a trip to Florida to attend Ma M's funeral. It was a joyful celebration of her life. I know that I will see Ma M again. In fact, I will probably find her singing with gusto. Probably not "I'm Just a Girl Who Can't Say No." But, definitely something joyful.