MEMORIES OF MOTHER

Written by Luz Leigh – 27 February 2008

      Mother was a beautiful young woman with dark, almost black, hair and brown eyes. Eyes that twinkled with happiness. Her fingers were long and slender with beautiful well groomed nails. When she died at the young age of thirty-six years, the ring she wore would fit me at the time, but over the years as I grew into adulthood, so did my fingers. Soon I could only wear the ring on my pinky….and finally, no longer would the white silver ring with the diamonds even fit there.

      Mother liked to fish for perch in the creeks in the nearby countryside. Daddy would load us up in the old pickup truck and we would spend the day on a creek bank, enjoying a picnic lunch or sometimes the evening meal there. In their early married life, Mother would go fox hunting with Daddy and his friends.

      To pass the time of day, Mother and I would walk over to the home of Mr. & Mrs. Collins. Their daughter, Dorothy, died at age 17 years of TB. That may have been one reason we visited their home. Remember, Mother had TB. In those days TB patients were not welcome in very many homes in the little town where I grew up.

      As a member of the local Baptist church, Mother attended regularly with Daddy and me until her health began to fail. Daddy would park the truck close to the side of the church building so that Mother could sit there and hear the service through the open windows of the church. Sometimes I would be allowed to sit with Mother, but most of the time I was expected to be in my place on the pew next to Daddy.

      Before she married Daddy, she was saved at the little country church that my husband, my children and I attended for many years. She was the first person the pastor at that church had ever baptized. I met him when he was in his late 70s and told him who I was. He was so excited to talk to me about my mother. It was good to hear someone speak of her when she was a young girl. He paid me a great compliment when he said I favor my mother.

      There are many more memories of Leigh….but they will have to wait.