Mother’s Day is a wonderful way to celebrate our mothers. Our mother nurtures and protects our tiny body as it grows inside her, until we are ready to meet the world.
The world is often a very unforgiving place, but for most of us, mother is there to protect us until we can stand on our own and take care of ourselves.
I no longer have a living mother. What I do have is a living memory of my mother. As well as taking care of me, she had something else to protect. She stood the test of time during the Holocaust to survive the horror, and then later, during the first hours, first days, first years of the nascent State of Israel’s struggle to survive.
After that, there were many years of being a widow, without her man, my father, whose life was cut short at a very young adult age.
My mother was my Mom and my Dad, both rolled into one person. She was not really prepared for this dual job, but she did her very best to be both.
My mother taught me discipline, art, music, accountability, depth of thinking, and she taught me right from wrong. She did all of that in any way humanly possible.
Many times I rebelled, not knowing that when she told me “it is for you to be the best you can be, and that is why I demand it of you,” that is really was for my own benefit.
Now I know that was true.
I miss you Rachel. On my last visit with you, you gave me four of your lovely tops, that you claimed you would never wear again. You were right. When I wear them, often, I feel your hug, your kiss, and I have you with me, all over me.
Rachel Greenger (Gringer) z”l passed away on June 21, 2010 but her memory, her spirit and her voice live with me every day, and I will never forget.
