Eulogy for Mom

by Anne-Marie
(San Francisco)

A mother and child connection is so profound. How can the limitations of language ever do this archetypal relationship justice?

It feels almost impossible to put words to the love I feel for my mother, but I will try.

I have tremendous gratitude for past five years I was able to spend time with my mother since she was first diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. We were very open with one another - sharing our feelings; laughter, tears, and, some bickering here and there. The conversations and closure we were able to have were a gift. I will miss her forever.

In my mother’s life there was hardship, but also huge blessings. My mother's death, as is often the case, was similar to her life as a whole in this way. It was an invaluable experience to have, along with my family, been by my mother's side in her final days and nights, and I am amazed to recollect the bright, warm, large look in her hazel colored eyes after she was told she did not have much time left.

As my mother began to pass away I thought maybe she does not want to go. For, she was a fighter and her incredible tenacity had showed up in her strong will to live with this terrible disease these last five years. Yet in her final moments the peace and tranquility that came over my mom’s face was breathtaking. She was beautiful and glorious as an angel as she smiled and transitioned out of this world and into the next. For sure she had agreed to pass on and by the ecstatic look on her face I rest knowing mom was greeted by her loved ones who went before her.

My mother Mary was 32 when she gave birth to me. Younger than I am now. Her own mother died while she was pregnant with me, and I imagine that tragedy must have played a role in our tight bond. I always felt close to my mother. But our relationship was a paradox. On the surface the way we have lived our lives may seem contrary. However, in spite of traditional and generational differences, our core strengths and beliefs were so congruent; and it was the spirit with which my mother imparted her love that transcended all our differences.

My mother’s core motivating force was- LOVE and it was her love that has had a profound impact on the essence of who I am. My mother lives on in my heart.

She gave me the foundation on which my whole life is built. A calling to live a life of service and to help make the world a better place. This is the greatest lesson my mother taught me; how to be caring, affectionate, forgiving, and empathetic towards others, especially those in need. She exemplified service, be it to the elders she visited weekly for years in the nursing home, caring for my beloved Aunt Nonie, or her persistent efforts to meet the needs of her own children and grandchildren. I will always feel love and gratitude for the warm gifts she so beautifully embodied. My mother Mary, was a force for spreading good in the world, and her legacy - this compelling force of good continues in the many of us here, whose lives she touched.

Comments for Eulogy for Mom

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Bittersweet
by: Susie

Unlike all of your other comments, my mother wasn't always the nicest to me. I was the youngest and my brother is the oldest. She idolized everything that he did. As for me, I went to college, I've been married for 30 years, we have two wonderful children I have a good job, I even wrote a book. My brother can't hold down a steady job, he's been divorced twice, he now has a pretend British accent (for attention) - basically has done nothing with his life, yet our Mom put him on a pedestal.
So writing an eulogy, in front of her two friends, will be hard. I don't hate her but my brother is doing nothing and I am doing it all.
Thank you for guiding me back to what an eulogy should be all about. God Bless you Susan.

Hi Susie,
Susan here. I feel for you! That's a hard story and it must have taken quite an effort on your part to come to a place of acceptance, where you
are able to do what you need to.
I am glad you've found something you can use to help here.
Much love,
Susan

Grateful
by: Anonymous

Beautifully written. I am going to use a part of this for my Mom's eulogy. Thank you.

Hope it goes well for you,
Susan

Many thanks
by: Anonymous

You all are beautiful people and hope I can get through it myself.

We sincerely hope so too.
Blessings,
Susan

Omg
by: Mike Dupre

This seems written for my mom. It's so beautiful. I know your pain as you wrote it and I cry. I hope I can use a few of your words in my eulogy as I'm not the best writer as I see you are. I need to write this in two days and will go with my heart as I felt you did reading this. Love you even though we never met because we are all the same, and feel the same. Bless your heart.

Mike, Susan here. Of course you can borrow words. These pages are here to help.
Go well with your writing.
Kind regards,
Susan

Comments for Eulogy for Mom
by: Ken

I think it can be difficult to give a eulogy for your parent. I gave the eulogy for my mother (lung cancer), speaking for her 3 sons. A year later my father in law passed away, also of lung cancer, and my wife and her brother felt it would be difficult to give the eulogy, so they provided memories for use in writing his eulogy to share at his memorial service. My mother in law passed away last week (stage 4 cancer), and my wife and brother in law again provided memories for their mother for me to provide the eulogy. So, that is an option to consider when you feel it would be to too difficult to deliver the eulogy yourself, is to have someone close to the family give the eulogy, with memories and thoughts that you provide. I don't know how long ago your loss was, but my sympathies for your loss. Ken

Eulogy for Mom
by: Anonymous

I absolutely love how you wrote this and I believe that you were super close with your mom because of the way you wrote, and the effort you put in this eulogy. I love how you made it really nicely detailed such as descriptions of how your long loving mother fought for her life. I honestly feel so sorry for you that your mother died at that time. (I'm not saying she should have died at a different time.) I also hope the best for you because of your tragic lost. RIP

Thank you Anne-Marie
by: Susan

Your comments describing how your Mom passed are very special. The memory of that experience must be very comforting to you. Thank you very much for sharing.

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