Mother
Author: Temper Bailey
The young mother set her feet on the path of life. Is the way long, she asked? And her guide said, yes. And the way is hard. And you will be old before you reach the end of it. But the end will be better than the beginning. But the mother was happy, and would not believe that anything could be better than these years. So she played with her children. And gathered flowers for them along the way and bathed them in clear streams and the sun shone on them and life was good and the young mother cried ‘nothing will ever be lovelier than this’.
Then came the night, and storm, and the path was dark, and the children shook with fear and cold, and the mother drew them close and covered them with her mantle, and the children said ‘oh mother we are not afraid for you are near and no harm can come. And the mother said ‘This is better than the brightness of day, for I have taught my children courage. Today I have given them strength.’
And the next day came strange clouds which darkened the earth, clouds of war and hate and evil and the children groped and stumbled and the mother said ‘Look up lift your eyes to the light’. And the children looked and saw above the clouds an everlasting glory, and it guided them and brought them beyond the darkness. And that night the mother said this is the best day of all, for I have shown my children God’.
And the days went on, and the weeks and the months and the years, and the mother grew old and she was little and bent. But her children were tall and strong and walked with her with courage and when the way was hard, they helped their mother and when the way was rough they lifted her, for she was light as a feather, and at last they came to a hill, and beyond the hill they could see a shinning road and golden gates flung wide.
And the mother said, ‘I have reached the end of my journey. And now I know that the end is better than the beginning, for my children can walk alone, and their children after them’.
And the children said, ‘You will always walk with us, mother, even when you have gone through the gates’.And they watched her as she went alone, and the gates closed after her.
And they said, ‘We cannot see her, but she is with us still. A mother like ours is more than a memory. She is a living presence’.
I am so grateful for the gospel, and for the sacrifice of the son,
so that we might have resurrection and be assured of our place beyond the veil.
from the Journal of Elaine Murry [February 16. 1980]
so that we might have resurrection and be assured of our place beyond the veil.
from the Journal of Elaine Murry [February 16. 1980]
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
All about me... in my own words [contributor: Teresa Murry]
Where were you born? 'I was born in LaVerkin, Utah.'
What was your first job? 'It was a bank job--book-keeper at First National--Later I became a teller, even when I was pregnant with Sheila.'
What was your education? 'No college.'
What was your most frightening moment? 'When I was sixteen I almost hit a guy and your Grandma was scared.'
What is your favorite holiday and why? 'Easter. Potato salad and ham.'
What is your favorite music? 'Hymnals. When I was challenged with my 1977 cancer I packed a hymnal to the hospital and there I would sing from it's pages. My roommate would ask for more, more.'
What were your childhood chores? 'I had Loris do them all. I always did less than more.'
What do you miss the most about your Mother? 'The way she smelled- Coty powder was probably the reason. She would always powder her face.'
What tradition do you carry on from your Mother? 'Potato Salad. if my Mother made it, it would be good. I was a fussy eater when I was 5 to 6 years old. I hated to eat when I was little, so bad that I would throw up.'
What is your favorite dish to make? 'Potato Salad.'
What are your memories of your Mother? Mother cut everything exactly so.'
Did you have a pet as a child? 'No. My boyfriend gave me a dog when I was fourteen and i gave it to Judy. She named it Curly. She took it to save it's hairy life. We had a family of kittens in the laundry room, they wouldn't sell so we got rid of them.'
Where was your home as a child? 'It was the Lewis street home. I shared the garage with Loris.'
Did you have any boyfriends before Harris? 'No more than a hundred.'
Who was your first boyfriend? 'Ralph Adams.'
Who and when was your first kiss? 'I don't recall. I was very bold. I kissed everyone goodnight. I had a very ugly friend Eldon Clothier-I was Eldon's first kiss.'
When was your first kiss with Harris? 'November 20, 1958 at the Huntridge Theater & mt. Charleston.'
What is your favorite weather? 'I don't enjoy the summer. Winter is my favorite for mild, nice times.'
What is your favorite smell? 'Rain on the desert. Sagebrush.'
What is your favorite 'Murry Tradition'? 'The Christmas prayer chart made by Grandma.'
Why don't you like to swim? 'I fell off Grandpa's shoulders as a child and I have a fear of water. I don't like swimming.'
How did the cow tradition come about? 'At the first sisters reunion. Janice always kept the tradition of course.'
What was your first job? 'It was a bank job--book-keeper at First National--Later I became a teller, even when I was pregnant with Sheila.'
What was your education? 'No college.'
What was your most frightening moment? 'When I was sixteen I almost hit a guy and your Grandma was scared.'
What is your favorite holiday and why? 'Easter. Potato salad and ham.'
What is your favorite music? 'Hymnals. When I was challenged with my 1977 cancer I packed a hymnal to the hospital and there I would sing from it's pages. My roommate would ask for more, more.'
What were your childhood chores? 'I had Loris do them all. I always did less than more.'
What do you miss the most about your Mother? 'The way she smelled- Coty powder was probably the reason. She would always powder her face.'
What tradition do you carry on from your Mother? 'Potato Salad. if my Mother made it, it would be good. I was a fussy eater when I was 5 to 6 years old. I hated to eat when I was little, so bad that I would throw up.'
What is your favorite dish to make? 'Potato Salad.'
What are your memories of your Mother? Mother cut everything exactly so.'
Did you have a pet as a child? 'No. My boyfriend gave me a dog when I was fourteen and i gave it to Judy. She named it Curly. She took it to save it's hairy life. We had a family of kittens in the laundry room, they wouldn't sell so we got rid of them.'
Where was your home as a child? 'It was the Lewis street home. I shared the garage with Loris.'
Did you have any boyfriends before Harris? 'No more than a hundred.'
Who was your first boyfriend? 'Ralph Adams.'
Who and when was your first kiss? 'I don't recall. I was very bold. I kissed everyone goodnight. I had a very ugly friend Eldon Clothier-I was Eldon's first kiss.'
When was your first kiss with Harris? 'November 20, 1958 at the Huntridge Theater & mt. Charleston.'
What is your favorite weather? 'I don't enjoy the summer. Winter is my favorite for mild, nice times.'
What is your favorite smell? 'Rain on the desert. Sagebrush.'
What is your favorite 'Murry Tradition'? 'The Christmas prayer chart made by Grandma.'
Why don't you like to swim? 'I fell off Grandpa's shoulders as a child and I have a fear of water. I don't like swimming.'
How did the cow tradition come about? 'At the first sisters reunion. Janice always kept the tradition of course.'
Contributors to this BLOG
Sheila
Lisa
Debra
Angela
Teresa
Carma
Karena
... her daughters.
If YOU have a memory you would like to share with us. E.mail one of us... or leave a comment.
Lisa
Debra
Angela
Teresa
Carma
Karena
... her daughters.
If YOU have a memory you would like to share with us. E.mail one of us... or leave a comment.
No comments:
Post a Comment