Remembering Beauty

I had never seen my mom’s spirit so broken as I did after she went through a mastectomy for breast cancer. I tried to care for her and be strong, but her sadness broke my heart.

A week after the surgery, I marched into her room and informed her we were going out.

“I don’t want to,” she said.

“I know, that’s why I made an appointment.”

She raised her brow. “For what?”

“We’re scheduled for mother-daughter pictures.” Before she could protest, I continued, “I’m doing your makeup, I’ve already picked out our outfits, and we have to be there in two hours.” Mom never wore much makeup, but she allowed me to give her a complete makeover that day.

At the studio, the photographer couldn’t believe Mom had had surgery so recently and kept telling her how good she looked. On the way home, we talked and laughed about the fun we’d had in our photo session. It was the first time Mom had laughed since her surgery.

Those pictures with Mom are my favorite ones of her, because the photographer captured her gentle yet fighting spirit. He also captured her beauty, something she needed to be reminded she still had.