Wayne Boatwright wrote:
> Jill,
>
> Sometime in the year before my mother died, I found a framed copy of
> the following poem. I gave it to her as one her gifts on the
> Christmas before she died the following March. I don't know who
> wrote it, but I wanted to share it with you. I was barely able to
> speak at her funeral. I read this poem instead.
> __________________________________________________ _______________________
>
> Most Precious Mother,
>
> This I know . . . . . As your child, I have received the most genuine
> and important message from you. I know you love me and have always
> loved me.
>
> I know you have, to the best of your ability, with the work of your
> body, dedication of your mind, and strength of your soul, given me
> love, shelter and food. You have given me as much of your time as
> possible in this hectic, hurried world. You have given me fun and
> laughter. You have given me safety and protection. You have taught
> me about life's unpleasantries without scaring me too much. In my
> darkest moments, you appeared with comfort and understanding. I
> always knew you were on my side.
>
> I know you did the best you could with the tools you were given.
> Because of this, the door to my heart is always open to you.
>
> Thank you for the pleasures and treasures you have given me, both
> deserved and not. I know at times I troubled you, and for this I am
> sorry. There has never been anything you have done that has taken
> away my unconditional love for you. Always and now, in my eyes,
> heart, and soul, you are to me the most loving touch, the kindest
> thought, and the most perfect gift.
>
> I have never known a time I did not love you . . . . . I loved you
> with every breath you took . . . . . I will love you . . . . .
> forever.
> __________________________________________________ _______________________
>
>
> I also wrote of her, many months later, "Fleeting beauty as the years
> pass by are my memories of you."


Thank you. That's beautiful. Fortunately, they don't ask you to speak at
military funerals. And my mother will be cremated and buried alongside my
father at Beaufort National Cemetery. Of course she won't have the 21-gun
salute but she'll have a honor guard.

I'm trying to write the eulogy for the newspaper. Unfortnately she wasn't
involved in a lot of things. But the best thing I can say is she'd have
done anything for anyone at the drop of a hat. She cared about people and
about people's feelings. She was the sweetest woman I ever knew. And she
had great fashion sense... except when she let me wear velvet in the 1970's
LOL

I love my mother, and I'll miss my mother. And now I've got all this fur
with eyeballs and claws and I'm not talking about my cat. Egads!!

Jill