My family and I have lived in California for five years now. This morning while at breakfast, a friend asked me if I would ever go back “home” to Connecticut. No, I told her, because my home is where my family is, my husband and two children (and wherever there is a beach:-). Before I was married however, even if I lived on my own, home was always wherever my mother lived.
I was recently cleaning out our storage area, and came upon two items that my mother treasured. One was a laminated photo of Mom’s 10/9/55 bridal announcement from the Hartford Courant. I am amazed at the lengthy description of her gown: “of Chantilly lace and tulle over satin, styled with a sheer yoke with lace trim and a lace wing collar. The gown was made with tapered sleeves and a bouffant skirt ending in a sweep train. A lace and seed pearl cloche fashioned her headpiece and held in place her veil of fingertip-length French illusion.” The papers certainly don’t make room for such elaborate accounts these days. In any case, Mom looked absolutely gorgeous, and I also treasure that bridal picture.
The other item that I found is the program from Mom’s commencement ceremony. She graduated from St. Joseph’s School of Nursing on Sunday, September 5th at Ten O’clock, 1954. My Uncle Jim, Mom’s eldest brother, recently told me the story of how hard Mom worked to get into nursing school. She would stay up hours after her family had gone to bed, and study by candlelight. In fact, she went back to school later in life for a second degree in Health and Human Services. Mom enjoyed her psychology classes and went from a surgical nurse to an obstetrical nurse (teaching the “Lamaze” method), to a psychiatric nurse. And I was awed when Mom continued her school internships as a volunteer Youth at Risk Mentor and Rape Crisis Counselor.
Mom’s role modeling had a considerable impact on me. Not only did I go back to school for a master’s degree, I worked in numerous agencies advocating for those on a journey of survival. I helped raise awareness about the social issues of homelessness, addiction, domestic violence, rape, and cancer. Today marks 25 years since Mom passed from cancer, and today I honor her life. Miss you Mom…
