One Last Breakfast
Monday, February 16, 2015 at 03:51PM 
Hard to believe it is 14 years today since my Mom died...I miss her everyday but like most of us who have lost someone special, we realize that certain days can trigger a more prominent memory and a deeper sadness...today is like that for me...as is her birthday and I also feel the lose more on Christmas...but breakfast though, that is a sadness all in it's own category...
My Mom and I both belonged to the same weight loss group...TOPS. I have lost over 100 pounds with them, starting way back in 1982. Before I even reached my goal my Mom joined with me...she didn't have as much weight to lose but it was good for her also and it gave us a connection. Until the day she died, she was still a member and at all the Tops functions, that I attended, as the biggest loser for the State of Massachusetts in 1983, my Mom was there.
I started a morning group and we held our Tops meetings, on Fridays, at my church. We would weight in, stay for the meeting, and then head to breakfast...it was our one real treat for the week and we did it every Friday...after breakfast we would head off shopping and then I would drop her home at around two in the afternoon. Sometimes it would be just my Mom and me for breakfast but many times we would have a following. Each declaring Friday breakfast their cheat day..
When my Mom got sick she came to Tops as often as she could and we would still do breakfast but not go shopping anymore...she tired easily and then when she went into rehab after being on a ventilator...we never went to breakfast again...because she never came home.
On the day she died, we were all with her at the hospital, including my pastor who was also my friend...as we prayed for an easy passing...Anne came over to me and said...how lovely is this that you Mom chose today to pass...I was in shock as to what she might have meant by that...and I expressed that...her answer was..".Cheryl, today is Friday...and it's 1:45...your Mom gave you one more Friday of spending time together.".She was right...I looked at the clock and knew that this last day was my Mom's gift to me...to tell me that we could always have Friday morning breakfast together...
So this breakfast in is memory of my Mom...I know it's not Friday..but I also know she would have loved this French breakfast...yup, when I was a kid she would eat cake for breakfast...my kind of woman...Miss you Mom, everyday but especially on Friday's...
How much does a man live, after all?
Does he live a thousand days, or really only one?
For a week or for several centuries?
How long does a man spend dying?
What does it mean to say "for ever"?
Pablo Neruda
Linking up with Kim Klassen "Be Still" week 35.
This photo was taken with my new Fuji X-E2 Mirrorless Camera...
Reader Comments (12)
This was so beautiful Cheryl. I am always so envious of mother/daughter relationships like the one you had. Thankfully I am making that relationship with my daughter.
Thank you for sharing such special memories you had with your mom and what a beautiful relationship you had with her. I am trying to have this with my daughter...
Beautiful story Cheryl. Isn't it wonderful that you have those memories?
Beautiful Cheryl. Great memories.
As you know just having lost my Mom this story just touches me to my core. That is how I felt about my random "martini" lunches with my Mom. After one Martini Mom would tell me things I never knew before. I felt it was like peeling the layers of my Mom away. I cherish those memories so I completely understand what you are saying!
beautifiul ....
You have no idea how significant those Friday mornings were for me ...
My week was generally relationally barren I looked forward to Friday mornings the meeting then breakfast
I felt really loved there.
Love you
It is quite special to reminisce about your mom over breakfast, and what better place than in St. Maarten! This photo is just beautiful...soft aqua colors, and mountains in the distance..so very relaxing. Those Friday mornings with your mom...the breakfast and the shopping...are truly special times. Wonderful memories. xx
Dearest Cheryl . . . It's late, but as I sit here in my woman cave by my new faux fireplace heater, I wanted to send a few words to you!
First of all, I'm so happy you are there, relaxing and enjoying the warmth, your kind of weather! Secondly, so many uncanny surprises have occurred in the past week that I'm giddy and speechless with it all . . . too tired to explain right now . . . but mainly, I wanted to thank you for all you've shared and taught me about being a mother and friend. I'll elaborate more when I'm not so tired . . . hope you're having sweet, salty dreams as I write this to you. xox
What a wonderful message and sentiment of your Mom, sad but yet happy all the same. Yes we all have a person who we loved and miss me it is my husband who also died 14 years ago, so fast was his death but the last day he dead, I raised the shade at his bedside and he said Good Morning. That was the last words he spoke. I read your comment on my blog and yes it will be a treat to see each of our progression with our new cameras. Wish you were closer so we could go out together and practice or you the teacher and me the student.
So beautiful and heartfelt. Thank goodness for all those wonderful memories. I miss my mom most in the late evenings...that is the time we would sit and have those mother-daughter talks well into the early morning. I so miss that.
A very touching story, Cheryl. Love the idea of "cheat breakfasts." Great shot of breakfast with your new camera!
Cheryl, Your heartfelt words are so meaningful for me. I spend a lot of my time helping my mother these days (she is in the beginning stages of dementia). Some days its hard to be patient with her . .. and some days I am immersed in the moments . . . knowing they are special. Your post puts my struggle into perspective and reminds me to treasure every day.