Yesterday was Mother’s Day. I thought that the day would see me curled up in a ball unable to speak or see through my tears. I was wrong. I was overjoyed at seeing all people at the 15th Annual Beverly Breast Cancer Walk in support of those surviving, battling, or taken by breast cancer. We had never walked as a family before. The day my mom had her second surgery, my brother mentioned that maybe we should walk this year. Then, just two weeks ago, my dad brought it up again. We got working to put together a team and logo. Yesterday, in a sea of pink, 19 crisp white t-shirts with a beautiful butterfly and the words FIGHT STRONG stood out from the rest. Those were the people walking in honor, memory, and celebration of my mom, Debra McKenna…Grandma to some, GramCrackers to a special little one.  My mom’s familiar signature saying Love, Mom took my breath away when I first saw it.  I just felt her with me.

We gathered together in the early sun hugging and saying I love you.  We told stories that made us laugh until we teared up.  Yesterday, I didn’t let one sad tear drop.  Perhaps I had cried them all in the days prior to Mother’s Day.  Many tears fell  when thinking about my mom and all the things that were left unsaid, unseen, and unknown.  Then my sister gave me a lovely necklace Saturday afternoon.  It is a set of guardian angel wings.  There is a little story with the necklace that says to make a wish before putting it on.  It is a reminder that you are never alone.  So yesterday when I was walking and saying hello to all the people I knew walking with me, I felt my mom all around.  She was walking, too.  Although on her walk, I am sure it was snowing and she was wearing her Uggs.  She was beautiful and healthy and without pain.  She was smiling upon us all, amazed to see so many of her family and friends together in her honor.  She was getting ready to plant her summer flowers and count freckles on her grand babies.  She was happy and so was I.