Big Fish

"Everybody has to die of something," Mom said, after wincing only once when my brother John dropped the "c" word. "But, honestly, cancer hadn't crossed my mind."

The two of them talked for a couple of hours before my sister Mary and I showed up with the promised supreme pizza and the surprise box of sugar-free Godiva chocolates. By the time we arrived, John had begun to use one of the most amazing talents God's graced him with, the ability to pull hilarious old stories from the depths of my mother's soul.

So Mom regaled us with the stories of her life--not a few of which involve fascinating descriptions of various and sundry articles of underwear, noxious personal gas emissions, wetting her pants in the middle of passing an 18-wheeler on I-70, and well, you get the general idea.

(The nut doesn't fall far from the squirrelly tree, huh?)

"Tell us the one about when Aunt Mary had Alzheimer's and Dad wanted to take her with us to see the horse races," John begged.

"You mean when I got behind the wheel and everyone piled in and closed the doors?" Mom began. "That's a good one. Poor Aunt Mary wasn't quite inside the car, and she held onto the outside door handle for dear, confused life while I plowed through the parking lot..."

We all laughed our heads off, not because we'd never heard this story before, but because we had. We've heard them all before, but somehow they feel fresh now, crisp with the kind of edgy life that's always so much more well-defined by the dying than by those who imagine their best years lie just ahead.

Mom hasn't been telling these stories, the stories of her life, too often in recent years. She put a halt to it, it seems, when she was only almost dying, but now the story of who she is must be told in no uncertain terms. Suddenly these stories contain for us--and, I think, for her--an eternal significance.

"Everybody has to die of something," Mom said. And then she started living, once again and out loud, the story of her life.

Posted by Katy on 02/06/05 at 01:56 PM

Fallible Comments...

Adding my prayers for your mother, and your family, to the growing, lengthy list. I hope there are many more moments of light, such as this one you've so eloquently described, to illuminate the path of this journey you're travelling. Godspeed, Katy.
-----
Posted by Jennifer on 02/06/05 at 08:55 PM
Bless you, Katy.
And hallelujah for being fully alive until death occurs!
Posted by Anne on 02/07/05 at 02:48 AM
I'm so grateful that you had laughter together. Everyone says tears are a language in themselves but sometimes I wonder if laughter isn't just as exceptional. Sometimes it heals the soul. If only it could heal the body.

My prayers are with you and your family.
Posted by Jennifer on 02/07/05 at 12:20 PM
Wow, if laughter could also heal the body, I'd be in the strongman competitions! Or a model! Or something like that... ;)

Glad to read you enjoyed laughter together...
Posted by Kevin on 02/07/05 at 01:29 PM
Wish I'd been there...
Posted by Bridget on 02/07/05 at 02:13 PM
Katy - I'm so sorry for what your family is going through, though glad to hear of your time of laughter this weekend.
Posted by Chris(tine) on 02/08/05 at 04:59 AM
Oh Katy - I'll be praying for your mom and your family. I'm so sorry to hear this news but I praise God that she'll be *living* in the time given to her.
Posted by Tina on 02/08/05 at 11:51 PM
Wow! Excellent post, as always!
Posted by Hope on 02/09/05 at 11:16 AM
Katy,

Craig and I are praying! You are loved.
Posted by Nancy on 02/09/05 at 04:57 PM
Katy,

My grandma put stories of her childhood and early life on a tape for me about 12 years ago. She was getting so old, and her health was failing. And her stories were so much a part of who she WAS. You might ask your Mom to do the same thing. It will be a huge comfort to you someday to hear her voice again, and to be able to pass along a part of her to those that will follow YOU. I know it was a tremendous comfort to hear Grandma's giggle after she was gone, and the little 'voices' she'd use when she related her memories. I'd almost forgotten how entertaining she was...(she'd been sick for a long time.) However,through those stories, my writing career was born...she gave me the inspiration to write about she and her family. It's the best possible inheritance.

Much love in Christ,
Michelle
Posted by Michelle on 02/10/05 at 05:48 PM
You were in my thoughts today.
I hope you are coping with all your pressures.

Take Care
Michael
Posted by Michael on 02/11/05 at 05:46 PM
I've never heard that said so well as you did. You express your thoughts...and ours, so very beautifully.
Posted by Tonya on 02/13/05 at 03:25 AM

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Personal blog of christian writer & fallible mom Katy McKenna Raymond in Kansas City, Missouri Katy is represented by Greg Johnson at WordServe Literary Read more Katy at LateBoomer.net Follow Katy on Twitter Follow Katy on Facebook 123 Recent Posts Try Becoming Brenda Starr Off Beat Scattered That’s It So I’ve Finally Signed With An Agent. Now What? The Spoon Sciatica Sweetheart A Woman’s Train of Thought Has No Caboose However much we own, we are all still living on borrowed time After all, when restaurants shrink portions, they don’t shrink prices. As with everything in life, balance is key. Slow down, you move too fast… Yeah, I know. I have issues. Search Advanced Search Syndicate Login E me at katy @ ngenius.com	Big Fish "Everybody has to die of something," Mom said, after wincing only once when my brother John dropped the "c" word. "But, honestly, cancer hadn't crossed my mind." The two of them talked for a couple of hours before my sister Mary and I showed up with the promised supreme pizza and the surprise box of sugar-free Godiva chocolates. By the time we arrived, John had begun to use one of the most amazing talents God's graced him with, the ability to pull hilarious old stories from the depths of my mother's soul. So Mom regaled us with the stories of her life--not a few of which involve fascinating descriptions of various and sundry articles of underwear, noxious personal gas emissions, wetting her pants in the middle of passing an 18-wheeler on I-70, and well, you get the general idea. (The nut doesn't fall far from the squirrelly tree, huh?) "Tell us the one about when Aunt Mary had Alzheimer's and Dad wanted to take her with us to see the horse races," John begged. "You mean when I got behind the wheel and everyone piled in and closed the doors?" Mom began. "That's a good one. Poor Aunt Mary wasn't quite inside the car, and she held onto the outside door handle for dear, confused life while I plowed through the parking lot..." We all laughed our heads off, not because we'd never heard this story before, but because we had. We've heard them all before, but somehow they feel fresh now, crisp with the kind of edgy life that's always so much more well-defined by the dying than by those who imagine their best years lie just ahead. Mom hasn't been telling these stories, the stories of her life, too often in recent years. She put a halt to it, it seems, when she was only almost dying, but now the story of who she is must be told in no uncertain terms. Suddenly these stories contain for us--and, I think, for her--an eternal significance. "Everybody has to die of something," Mom said. And then she started living, once again and out loud, the story of her life. Posted by Katy on 02/06/05 at 01:56 PM Fallible Comments... Adding my prayers for your mother, and your family, to the growing, lengthy list. I hope there are many more moments of light, such as this one you've so eloquently described, to illuminate the path of this journey you're travelling. Godspeed, Katy. ----- Posted by Jennifer on 02/06/05 at 08:55 PM Bless you, Katy. And hallelujah for being fully alive until death occurs! Posted by Anne on 02/07/05 at 02:48 AM I'm so grateful that you had laughter together. Everyone says tears are a language in themselves but sometimes I wonder if laughter isn't just as exceptional. Sometimes it heals the soul. If only it could heal the body. My prayers are with you and your family. Posted by Jennifer on 02/07/05 at 12:20 PM Wow, if laughter could also heal the body, I'd be in the strongman competitions! Or a model! Or something like that... ;) Glad to read you enjoyed laughter together... Posted by Kevin on 02/07/05 at 01:29 PM Wish I'd been there... Posted by Bridget on 02/07/05 at 02:13 PM Katy - I'm so sorry for what your family is going through, though glad to hear of your time of laughter this weekend. Posted by Chris(tine) on 02/08/05 at 04:59 AM Oh Katy - I'll be praying for your mom and your family. I'm so sorry to hear this news but I praise God that she'll be living in the time given to her. Posted by Tina on 02/08/05 at 11:51 PM Wow! Excellent post, as always! Posted by Hope on 02/09/05 at 11:16 AM Katy, Craig and I are praying! You are loved. Posted by Nancy on 02/09/05 at 04:57 PM Katy, My grandma put stories of her childhood and early life on a tape for me about 12 years ago. She was getting so old, and her health was failing. And her stories were so much a part of who she WAS. You might ask your Mom to do the same thing. It will be a huge comfort to you someday to hear her voice again, and to be able to pass along a part of her to those that will follow YOU. I know it was a tremendous comfort to hear Grandma's giggle after she was gone, and the little 'voices' she'd use when she related her memories. I'd almost forgotten how entertaining she was...(she'd been sick for a long time.) However,through those stories, my writing career was born...she gave me the inspiration to write about she and her family. It's the best possible inheritance. Much love in Christ, Michelle Posted by Michelle on 02/10/05 at 05:48 PM You were in my thoughts today. I hope you are coping with all your pressures. Take Care Michael Posted by Michael on 02/11/05 at 05:46 PM I've never heard that said so well as you did. You express your thoughts...and ours, so very beautifully. Posted by Tonya on 02/13/05 at 03:25 AM Page 1 of 1 pages Commenting is not available in this weblog entry. Next entry: "If I Die Today, There's Not Enough Make-Up In The World To Make Me Look Good In My Casket." Previous entry: Steep Decline << Back to main


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Personal blog of christianwriter & fallible momKaty McKenna Raymondin Kansas City, Missouri

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Big Fish

Personal blog of christian
writer & fallible mom
Katy McKenna Raymond
in Kansas City, Missouri