A Mother’s Day Loss

By Edward Smallwood

I don’t think I have ever been motivated to write two blog entries in one day. This has been an unusual day. For many of you who may be reading this, Mother’s Day may indeed be over. Here on the “Left Coast” we still have about two-and-a-half hours to go. With a few minutes of spare time, and a ready laptop, I feel as ready to write this entry as I ever will.

This is a difficult entry to write. My closest friend at my work, specifically the movie theater mentioned in my bio, is my boss. About two weeks ago her mother had to go into the hospital to have a heart valve replaced. This put a lot of pressure on my boss, and it really showed. In-between shifts, at the theater, she’s been taking care of her mother, her two sons living at home (one is autistic), and her husband. Her oldest son just got back from a tour in Iraq a few months ago. She’s been sick from allergies but she still backs me up like nobody I’ve worked with.

Today, on mother’s day, her mother died from a stroke. This was a totally undeserved blow to my boss. I really do not know how to express my sorrow at her loss.

It’s been quite an eye-opening experience for myself and many of my younger co-workers. Several seemed to be dreading going out to dinner with their own mothers, but when the news broke here, that attitude evaporated. This is probably the best that can come from a tragedy of this nature.

It is my hope that all who read this and still have a mother they can communicate with now take the time to call her up and let her know just how they appreciate her.