Tidbits of Joy #7 - Mother's Day

Dear AdNet Employees, Clients and Friends;

This weekend we will celebrate Mother’s Day in a very different way for most of us. Celebrations will be by video conference, at a distance, a drive-by serenade and a host of other creative ways to show the women in our lives how much we love them. Mother’s Day is a day for every woman and all she brings to every person she touches. May 10th is also an honoring of a mother’s energy which comes in many forms……it is deep, all-embracing, all-accepting, nourishing, nurturing, warm, safe, and soothes the places inside our hearts that feel scared and lonely. I know some pretty remarkable people on this email thread, female and male, who have these qualities. I celebrate all of us!!!!

My mom tested COVID positive around Easter. She’s 2 weeks shy of 96 and lives in a long term care facility in New Jersey. Upon hearing the news of her test results, I sobbed to my wife, not knowing what the path ahead would be. My prayers felt frenetic and I was scared, feeling helpless. Mom is healthy and with dementia, if she had any fear, it was quickly forgotten which may have helped her outlook. There were some days when she knew what was going on and others where it was as though she heard about COVID for the first time. Each day was like sitting on pins and needles with no ability to see her other than daily conversations. She stayed steady with minimal symptoms. I would receive her daily report around lunch time each day and then I would have a sigh of momentary relief. My AdNet family saw the pain and worry over video conferences and I did my best to stay present for those who were feeling much more pain than I.

On Friday, mom was retested with negative results. She returned to her regular room and had no recollection of being in isolation or testing positive. I told her she was a “miracle mommy” for being 95 and recovering from this dreadful virus. I could hear her proudly smile on the other end of the phone. Her next words were, “well, do you think it will be in the news?” I laughed 😊. My mom is strong willed and resilient and in this case she made it through. As the weeks went by, I finally came to the place that at mom’s age, whatever choice God had for her, that she would be peaceful and pain-free which is my prayer for her. We really don’t know if someone can get re-infected and at 95, mom could leave the planet at any time. At least for now, she gets to be here longer and she has no idea that she gave me the best gift on this Mother’s Day 2020.

Now, that we’re spending more and more time at home, click on this link to see if it’s a good time to see whether you should give your bedroom a clean. Because whether near, far or in spirit, our moms are always watching!! 😊

May all of you celebrate the women you are, the women you love and the men who lift you up to be all you can be, which is pretty super!!!

Happy Mother’s Day!!