My Mother, The Babe

Pictured here, my mother, Carol, at age 17. She has black hair and blue eyes, and in my mind, is a combo of Keely Smith and Elizabeth Taylor. The haircut she gave herself...remnants of Gina Lollobrigida. She was different, which in Georgia (as well I learned) can mean falling off the clear path to perfection. Not achieving a society's assumptions for you—did I mention she was a coloratura soprano?—can be deadly.

In Carol's case, she lost her gorgeous voice at college, which caused financial aid to dry up, so she had to turn to other directions.

If any of you have any inclination to say some prayers or send good thoughts tomorrow morning (Friday, October 13), my wonderful mother is having some difficult surgery on her neck/spine. They are repairing a hack job done a few years ago by a surgeon in Atlanta—the damage was so vast that recent X-rays caught it in time so she wouldn't be paralyzed for the rest of her life.

The surgery then was so difficult that they pretty much had her spine out of her body for eight hours. She, a Druid if anything, was in the worst pain imaginable, and clinging to life. Not a religious person, she saw her two youngest daughters standing on either side of her bed, holding hands and sending love and prayers her way. Once again—not a religious person, nor one to hallucinate, she saw a gold circle of light joining them and surrounding her.

She pulled through. She credits prayer.

My mother is kind of miraculous in other ways, too. Once diagnosed with Hepatitis C, she believes that the birth of her second granddaughter, whom she takes care of, sent it into remission. It doesn't appear on tests now.

Another little miracle: Carol started smoking as a teenager, and quit without looking back a couple of Christmases ago, after 50 years or so. Why? Because she was sending one of my sisters to the store for a carton of cigarettes, without having bought Christmas presents for her grandchildren. Well, that was enough of that.

She is the mother of five daughters, of whom I am second eldest. Krissy gets all the credit for taking care of our mother, who lives with her. Krissy's daughter calls Grandma "the Democrat in the basement." (There is no explanation that three sisters turned into Republicans...well, except the snake-handling Baptist who gouged Fran Tarkenton for $8000 for two Christmas trees.)

My mother's birthday is October 21. Krissy's birthday was yesterday. The youngest sister was born the day after my mother's 30th birthday.

I only know of two Libra women who are not the kind of friendly, peace-making and peace-keeping women these are—Libra women are feminine upon feminine, but please do it without the nasty competitive thing. An unfeminine Libra woman is as shocking as meeting an Aries woman who is what a Libra woman should be. (Imagine Joan Crawford with a lobotomy and some lavender air freshener. Mellowed!)

Libra men? Hi, Bob—thanks for fifteen years of learning to make peace and love. I love Libra men, almost without exception. Just like Cancer men. (Food. Caring. What's not to like?) I admit a rogue taste for Aquarius men, but mostly they remind me of Vulcans: "What are these water droplets falling from your eyes?" In other words, almost as cold as a Libra woman without compassion.

But Aries women who are all woman, all heart? Devta and Heidi.

My mother, the Libra, is a reader, and so much more. I cannot think of a soul who knows her who doesn't appreciate her kindness, friendliness, wisdom, and generosity. She can soothe a baby...I can, too.

Some of my best traits, the ones that feel the best, are from my mother. And she is at least as proud of me as she is of a sister who wrote a best-selling book on the NY Times list. Maybe I am still her favorite baby, having been delivered in only eight minutes, and being a pink-lover. (Literally. It is not about Communists. It is about colors.)

So ... prayers for Carol, please. For her comfort and ease and strength—I think these will dispel pain and dying.

Thank you, kind souls, for your thoughts. And if you don't think you know what prayer is: you do. It's simply adding your light to the sum of light. To quote my favorite line from "The Year of Living Dangerously" : "Add your light to the sum of light."—The Year of Living Dangerously

And that is the THOUGHT OF THE DAY.

No, there are no farms here today. It's been a week. No complaints.

Comments

[GG Mora]

Bright thoughts for your Mom today, Tana. What a lovely post – even if it's not about farms. : )

I must take issue with one thing, though: your indictment of Aquarian men. They are not all Vulcans. My Aquarian husband, for example, is one of the loviest, most sympathetic men you'll ever hope to meet. When I cry, he usually starts to cry with me.

[Jen]

Tana, I will keep your mother in my prayers, best of luck to her. Hope you are well also.

[Tana]

Thanks, GG and Jen.

I should modify my statement about Aquarius men, since none other than my adorable Logan is also one, but I think these exceptions prove the rule. GG, I bet your husband has his Moon or Venus in a feminine sign. Just a hunch.

Thank you for the kind thoughts.

[Anita]

Cam's an Aquarian (as am I) and he's not the least cold. Now you have two exceptions. :)

Best to your mama. Many people to keep in my prayers today...

[Curious]

Thoughts, prayers, and general good vibes coming from California to Carol, who shares her birthday with my late mother (though she was no typical Libra woman, to sbe sure).

[Cathy]

I'm not much of a prayer but I'll keep Carol in my thoughts and send all the positive Virgo energy I can muster her way. She sounds like a tough, resilient lady and I hope this surgery goes well for her. Hugs to you and the angel boy too.

My husband is a Cancer.

[MsShad]

What a lovely post. I will pray.

[Linda Butler]

I'm sending a vegetable hug and tree's worth of fresh clean love to the woman who gave us the champion of small farms.

[Carol]

You are so right about Aquarius Men. I think they just shake their heads and wonder at us mere mortals. Start talking about the evolution of the mind and Star Trek and they will stay put for a lot longer.
Love and light to your Mom.

[Lydia]

A bit late, as I'm just catching up with this post, I'm sending good energy to you and to your mom.

[Ella]

I tried to trackback, but it didn't work out...Just letting you know I linked to you and your mom's "path to perfection". Nice post!