"What soap is for the body, tears are for the soul." Jewish Proverb

I think it's really interesting that as I get older I see how I am more and more similar to my mother. I'm not sure if this is because of how I'm growing up or if I've always been this way, but I bet it's probably a combination of the two. What I do know is that how she was and how I remember her will always be a part of me, and I will continue to see aspects of her in me throughout my life.

One thing that I've really noticed is how emotional I've become. I never understood why I would always find my mom crying at songs and movies and stories on the news. I would often make fun of her for it, actually. Not in a mean way--I would just kind of giggle at the fact that I always felt like she was crying about something that was totally removed from us and our little life here in central Illinois. Yes, it was sad, but it never really effected me the way it seemed to effect her.

Since she's died, though, I've become more like her in this way. I wonder if it's because I know what real loss is like. I can empathize with any sort of story about sadness and desperation and loss. Just thinking about stories of sadness and desperation and loss make me cry. Even happy things start the tears rolling. I'm actually really happy that I've become this way. It forces me to stop and think about what's going on for me at that moment and to really live it. I feel as though it makes me more human and I like it.

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