Thursday, May 28, 2015

Happy Birthday to My Beautiful Mother (1917-1993)

Happy Birthday Mommy!  
Rose M. Garifo (May 28, 1917 – 1993)

My beautiful Mother, this photo was taken when she was 62, same age I am now. She had five children and a busy husband. She managed the house, the children, the activities, and later an ailing husband - yet when we got home from school she was in a dress and moderate heels - this continued even after Daddy died although she did finally give in to pantsuits in the 70’s; she was a powerful 5' tall woman.  She drove us everywhere and, as a friend who knew her well recently said,: "had the patience of a saint".  My Father's illness depleted our finances but that did not stop her from raising her children as planned, the budget was tighter, she did without so we could have what we needed. She went into the work force as my Father became disabled, he died just a scant few years later at age 59 in 1972, and she was 52. Grieving but undaunted, her strength unimaginable, she supported her last three children (the youngest 12), got them through school, saw them married and supported me through my divorce and to finish my college education. The photo was taken in Nashville Tn in 1979, where she accompanied me to put down a foundation so I could start a new life with my children the following year.
She was so beautiful with bright emerald eyes and lovely rich red hair; one of my cousins commented on that same photo I referred to "Your mom was beautiful both inside and out." She was always singing, often humorously, her favorite while cleaning was "If I had the wings of an Angel", another time she would make us laugh by acting silly and singing “I don’t care, I don’t care.”  One time she slipped and broke her ankle while bringing our dog, Ervin, a meaty bone.  When we heard her screams we rushed to her but as we were getting her off the floor to the couch, she began chuckling through her tears and pain and said "ungrateful, dog, here I am screaming in pain and she just continues chewing the bone! That’s gratitude for you!"  She played the piano beautifully - and gracefully, but she did everything gracefully.  She loved to dance, which she did so wonderfully, so it was particularly painful when she diagnosed with Olivopontocerebellar Atrophy, a debilitating disease, when she was 67 in 1984. She was totally bedbound by the late 1980's. My beloved Mother transitioned from this life in 1993 at the age of 76 when her weakened body could not fight off the pneumonia she had developed. She was a bright, beautiful, kind and humorous light extinguished way too early. She selflessly donated her body to science so that maybe others could benefit from her experience, of course that left the family with no grave to place flowers on special days, however I have my memories. 

May is a month that is both poignant and joyous for me, she was born on May 28th and of course Mother's Day, it is the month when her favorite Lilac bushes were in full bloom, a month when memories come flooding back and, like all days, when I wish I could tell her once more just how much I love her while looking into her loving eyes. I miss you Mommy, I love you Mommy. Happy Birthday.