I Miss My Mom

When I think of my Mom, I think of her laughter. She had many laughs - a large, open mouthed laugh where her eyes would crinkle shut. A smaller, secret laugh, "heh heh heh" that sounded like she knew a funny secret, and was so pleased with herself. Her smile always filled me with love and even when sitting quietly with her, the gravity of her spirit always filled the room.

I have sat more times than I care to remember in emergency rooms and doctors' offices with my Mom. She was never scared, always brave. She gave over to the illnesses she struggled with and was so resilient. Instead, she lived to enjoy the things she loved, like good food (roast duck always a favorite) and spending time with her children. She expressed herself through art, following the masters and applying her unique view of the world into her sketches and paintings.

I wanted to be like my Mom, graduating top of my class in high school and studying Chemical Engineering at UC Berkeley. Even though I did not end up in a career in science, I like to think I still made her proud by running my own business doing something completely different, in an artistic field. When I sold my jewelry at a farmer's market on Sundays, she and my father would drive over 40 minutes to see me there. She would maybe sit for ten minutes or so, then she'd be ready to leave. Sometimes I would be busy, and I wouldn't notice that they had left. Sometimes I would be so busy I *wish* they would leave... but whatever the case, I always missed them when they were gone.

I know she did not see the world the same as we do. Her fighting spirit is always with me and is the greatest gift a Mom could give to her children. 

She would tell me she didn't worry about me, because I knew how to live life well. I learned from the best.

I will be away from my studio until 2/12/18, taking time off with family (plus a pre-planned vacation to Hawaii) and then returning with some exciting new things for 2018, including, hopefully, new designs and a brand-new website! Hope you will stick around and help me continue to make my Mom proud.

xoxo
peggy