My Mom

John McCain once made a comment that we use the words "hero" and "courageous" too often. The implication was that only those who face death in war are truly courageous. While I agree we use those words too much, there are many forms of courage. I always thought of Mom in that catagory. I was 5 when she first got cancer, and 29 when she died from it. In between there was alot of love and living. Though I'm sure she had her moments, I never heard her say "why me"? In some respects she faced her health like a new adventure. I saw her scars from her first surgery and when she was in the hospital for her first hip replacement, she showed me the rod running through her leg holding everything together as if to say "look what I got!" She taught me not to be afraid of what life has to offer, but embrace it - the good and the bad. I miss her smile, her wisdom and most especially her idiosyncracies!