By the way

I love my mother. Not only is she a role model for middle-age, she is leading the way in showing me how to grow old with grace, faith, joy and hope. She was a young woman in the 60’s. She didn’t tune-out or drop-out. I never had a million alleged uncles growing up. I cannot recall her ever being drunk or stoned out of her tree. She tried to improve the lives of all those she came in contact with and still does. She has never stopped learning or wanting to learn.

She is the most amazing of grandmothers and she is held fast and tight in the hearts of her grandchildren. When she was told that a tumor was malignant and why surgery and then chemo had to follow immediately, the doctor asked her if she had any questions. She looked him in the eye and said, "Yes, can you tell me what Batman’s belt looked liked?" What was most important to her was not that her life could be precarious and shorter than presumed; but that she exercise control over what she could control – the here and now. A promise made, was a promise kept. She promised her grandsons Batman and Robin costumes for Halloween, and though mortality might bar the way, she had a belt to make for Batman’s costume, and by jove, she was going to make it or die trying. She presumed that the young doctor was still young enough to remember. That Halloween while I worried and fretted, the children went out trick and treating as Batman, Robin and Xenia.

And I am so grateful that I was not raised by a wing-nut like this and that I never have had cause to worry when the children were in her care.

Toronto Star — A 43-year-old Oshawa woman faces several charges after police allege she was caught smoking marijuana when pulled over for a routine traffic stop — with her two grandchildren in the car. Durham regional police say the car was stopped last night because it had an expired licence plate. Police allege the woman was puffing on pot while her grandkids — aged one and four — were in the vehicle without seatbelts.

(tipped off by Neale News)