By Vicki Scott
Dear Mom,
This year marks my fourth Mother’s Day without you, and there are memories of you everywhere. This year, I designed our Hummingbird tee shirts and printed them in green, which is your favorite color. In fact, our Hummingbird group was born because of you. You always did your very best in everything and fought dementia with all you had.
As the story of the hummingbird goes, the bird was trying to fight a forest fire by filling its beak with water and spitting it on the fire. The hummingbird knew it could not win against that forest fire, but it was going to do all it could. We all know you did all you could, and we learned from you in your fight against dementia. You did not lose because of dementia; you won.
Our youngest grandchild, Addison, was born just before COVID, and you left us without getting to meet her. Addison reminds me so much of you, because no one ever gets the better of Addie!
During one of her sister Ava’s softball games, I heard one of the parents playfully call her “Baddie Addie.” Even though he was just teasing, it bothered me very much. I tried to act like it did not, but it did. When this same parent greeted Addie a few games later, she replied to him with, “Hey, Baddy Daddy!”
I laughed hard to make sure that he heard me. You would have been proud of her, mom.
Your sister Lynell once told me that you were going to do what you were going to do. Addison is like that, too. She is not afraid of consequences. She also has a lot of energy, just like you did. That child can go all day without taking a nap or slowing down. Television or video games do not help; she does not like them, just as you did not. Addie likes to be doing things; drawing and painting are some of her favorite things to do. You should see her butterflies. Perhaps one day she’ll draw and paint flowers like you did.
Our two older grandchildren, Ava Jaymes and Saylor Rhea, still ask about you, but so far, Addie has acted the most like you. Just the other day she asked me if I wanted her to draw a bird for me, and I told her I did. She then told me that she could only draw a hummingbird!
Happy Mother’s Day in heaven, mom. You are still with me, because over the past two days, I’ve seen a hummingbird in the area. Fly high and keep doing all you can until we meet again! I love you and miss you so much!
With love always, Vicki
Vicki Scott may be contacted at lily200383@yahoo.com.