Heavy Snow Leaves A Heavy Heart

This is pretty tough to write but I'm doing it for two reasons. One I spent all morning preaching at you to help people that need it with their snow removal. Two who knows maybe it'll help someone or even help me.

Today's snow storm is that wet and heavy type. The type that takes its toll on you when you shovel, clean off your car or even walk through it. It reminds me of a storm back in January of 2003. The storm itself wasn't anything special but what happened after it haunts me to this day. That year for Christmas my mother bought me a portable tv so I would stop using the NFL being on as a excuse to skip family events. So me being the big child I am couldn't wait to call my mother and let her know that her gift was perfect because I could use the bathroom and not miss a play. The game was a Browns/Steelers playoff game. The call ended with my mom telling me she didn't feel well after cleaning off her car and she was going to take a nap. I yelled at her for not calling me to do it but that wasn't really her way. She was strong and independent. She wasn't the type of woman that was going to wait. So for no other reason then she felt like it, she trudged out in the snow and cleaned off her car. I never put much thought into her taking a nap. Just figured she needed it. That call was the last time I ever spoke to my mother. A day that was suppose to be about football and laughter took a awful turn. My brother in law called me and told me to get to my mothers. She never made it to her nap.

Do me a favor and don't feel sorry for me. She was the most wonderful and strong woman I've ever met and I was blessed to know her as long as I did. I see her influence in my family and even in my daughters face. My daughter never met her grandmother but she has her strength.

Push a shovel or snow brush for someone that needs you to.

I've written and deleted this a dozen times. Thanks for reading it.