As I write this my Mom is in intensive care. Over the last few weeks she has had multiple complications -- heart attacks, strokes -- you get the idea. I want to write this for her, as a tribute to everything she accomplished. She was one of the quiet warriors out there. She always worked to help make this world a better place.
The earliest political action I remember Mom undertaking was helping women across the right-to-life protestors at abortion clinics. The demonstrators nick-named her "the murdering grandmother". I use to joke with her that she should get skin-tight leather pants, a tight tank top and a bandanna, just to give them an image (Mom had a wisked sense of humor, which is where I get my humor from). But Mom believed in a woman's right to choose. She simply volunteered one day. There's no plaque on the wall; just a lot of woman who got the services given to them by the Constitution.
Mom worked on the board of directors of a local mental health facility called CRI (this is in Cincinnati Ohio). She was a firm believer in helping the mentally disabled mainstream in the community - help them get jobs, apartments etc... She did that for ten years. Mom has a great fundraiser and she helped the facility help many people who needed help.
Mom volunteered for a group called Impact 100 in Cincinnati. This was a group of people, each of whom would contribute $1000. They would pool their resources and make a few contributions to a few cahrities, hoping to increase their impact. The group would spend 9-12 months evaluating all sorts of charities. Mom spent the last year reading all sorts of programs proposals etc.. I have no idea what the group eventually chose, but rest assured Mom thoroughly vetted them.
God knows why, but Mom loved opera. She worked for the Metropolitan Opera for some time, helping them fundraise. She was also a judge in some sort of competition which I never quite understood.
Finally -- Mom loved you guys, because you accepted her son. She called me about all the press Yearly Kos was getting, and read all sorts of diaries with interest. She never commented, but she loved what this community has creating because it was the same thing she always did. Help the community.
If you have and kids, call them and tell them you love them. If you're a kid, call your parents and tell them you love them.
And then remember the words of my Mom: "Get back to work."
Thank-you all for recommending this diary and for all the kind words. I appreciate them greatly.
Update [2007-1-15 8:36:22 by bonddad]::Many people have written many wonderful things which have been incredibly warming and heartening in this difficult time. I am so incredibly moved by the outpouring of emotion. Thank-you all.