Happy Mothers Day!

My mom had a lot of interesting stories to tell and I almost missed hearing them.  She passed away in 2007.

This photo was taken of my mom, Sirkka, at Pender Harbour.

Two years before my mom died, before she was diagnosed with cancer, I started a scrapbook of my mom's life.  I sat with her often to ask questions and she was so pleased that I wanted to hear her stories.  Like so many kids, I was always busy with my own life and thought I would do this 'someday'.  I came so close to losing that opportunity.

My mom told me about a childhood of poverty and hunger, but also about a loving family, first loves, hard work, dances, singing and poetry.  She recounted the heartache and the hopes in leaving Finland to come to Canada and her life in a new country where she couldn't speak the language.  She shared the joys and disappointments of her life.  I learned so much more about the person who was my mom by listening to her stories.

When the time came to eulogize my mom, I was so thankful that I could share some of those stories about this amazing woman; about her courage, strength, talent and generosity, and her love.