The ministry where I was director is going through a transition time.  This week, I was searching way back for some info.   Each month, I wrote an article entitled Celebrate Community and  in perusing the files, I found the one that I wrote weeks after my mother's death in 1999.

These are not new thoughts from me but it is short so I decided to share it;  seems timely since it is Mothers' Day.

I post it in honor of Olive.

This month, I simply and humbly must thank you for the kindness you exhibited to me this past few weeks after the unexpected death of my mother.  She was a vital, active, way-too-young-to–die lady. I shall miss her.  Her pain was often profound and I often was her companion on that journey.  

Walking alongside both my parents and paying attention from a very early age,  I learned much from what worked and what did not work in their lives;  for that, I shall be forever grateful.

The biggest gift that my mother gave me was “HOPE".  Olive was a survivor.  She survived by  always living  for tomorrow, a tomorrow that she believed would be better than today.  Because of that belief, the better tomorrow DID come…sometimes not as quickly as she/we wanted, but it did come. 

Indeed, she did not just sit and wait for that tomorrow, she helped to create it….by staying connected always to someone, something, outside of herself…friends, family, books, support groups, church, travel, God.  

We may have shared pain and tears, but with hope you know that you will also share joy and laughter...

....which we did...

....and so it continues.

 Thank you,  Olive Neal Broyles Stroder Priestley.

5 months pregnant with me which means this is a VERY VERY old picture....

...and, look, I am still alive and kicking.

There IS hope!