October 12th has always been a tough, somber, melancholic day for my father, my older sisters, and I. This date marks the 20th anniversary of my mother’s death from a sudden and tragic two-car accident by someone recklessly speeding on a country road while she was coming back from doing volunteer work on a Saturday night in 1996. Four out of the five people in the van she was in were killed instantly. Now that two decades have passed, it comes as a shock to me to realize that I only knew my mother for half my life. She used to be a part of my whole life. Yet she’s spiritually still with me, with my father, my sisters, her own sisters/ my aunts, our relatives, her students, and anyone who knew her, especially from her volunteer work. So I stop to reflect on the immense positive nature of that rather than focus on the tragedy of her not being around any longer. She never got to see her children fully grow into successful adults and each become teachers just like her, not to mention raise children of our own. It aches me that she was robbed of becoming a grandmother. Yet I believe she’s still with us and smiles down at the grandchildren that never had the privilege to know and love her the way we did. Thank you, mom, and we love you. See you on the other side one day….
This picture of us slow dancing in my college dorm room was taken just months before she died. I believe it’s the last photo I have of the two of us together.
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