Playing catch with mom
Friday, April 18th, 2008Memories flood back unexpectedly. As with most memories I don’t remember all the details. I do recall that I was on a baseball team and I didn’t have anybody to play catch with me. Dad worked nights and was usually gone when I got home from school. I still remember my surprise when mom responded by offering to play catch with me.
There is still delight at the memory of mom’s participation in that short game of catch. It was a sunny day and the sun just happened to be right in mom’s eyes. We were having a great time in the three or four throws that were successful. Then there was the blinding light of the sun as I threw the concluding toss that would hit mom smack dab in the mouth and sent remnants of her false teeth to the ground.
My best memory is that she didn’t get mad at me, but just accepted it as one of those things that happens. As life went on I recognized that same positive response came out in her when unexpected and bad things would happen. This is just one of many memories of a mom who taught positive lessons through the way she responded to life.
Mom’s name was Zella, which means “Zealous”. That name really fit her, as she was zealous for life.
Pastor Steve