Savor the Moments

“Gran, I hope you don’t roll down that big hill!” my seven-year-old nephew Jordan loudly warned his grandmother. Jordan was concerned because Mom’s wheelchair was parked on the sloping aisle of the church. Mom had long ago quit trying to maneuver her arthritis-ravaged body into a pew.

Since it was Mother’s Day, we’d all forsaken our own churches to worship with Mom at hers. She looked beautiful wearing a big corsage and her wig to hide the effects of the chemotherapy. Her face shone brightly with pride for her family.

“May I take your picture?” Don, the church photographer, asked following the service. Although we were all ready to leave, we agreed to wait. Don snapped pictures of the six of us sisters with Mom, and then pictures with her and the grandchildren. Finally, he wanted pictures with all of us together. At that point, we were all growing impatient—we had squirming, hungry children to get to lunch.

Now, I am so glad we chose to wait, thankful we slowed down that day to relish the time with Mom instead of rushing on. We have the precious photographs that capture the special moments we shared with our mother on Mother’s Day. It would turn out to be her last; the next time we gathered in her church was for her funeral three months later.