In My Mom's Memory

The events of the past two days have me thinking about my mom. How would she react if she knew her brothers and sisters and their children were treating us this way. She was indeed a Jehovah's Witness when she died. She was also educated and fiercely protective of her children. She did not live through the vast changes in JW doctrine. She thought we would never go to elementary school in this 'system of things'. How would she feel now? If she were a fly on the wall.

Perhaps this is the question my aunts, uncles and cousins should ask themselves. Her memory is a big part of family gatherings. She was the oldest and I her eldest child. My daughters are her grandchildren. How would she feel seeing the way we have been treated by her family??

I like to think that had she lived she would have been the freespirit I have been told repeatedly she was and would have recognized the utter garbage the religion espoused by her family is. Religious beliefs used by the family to sow guilt. Using the false promise of seeing her again on a 'paradise earth' to keep us towing the line. How would she feel about it if she could see us right now?

I am going to rest my emotionally weary head tonight easy with the knowing that she would not be pleased. And I like to think that she would be proud I have not used this lie to chain her grandchildren to this rubbish for any longer than I had. I KNOW my mother would be proud of my children and I, and of her siblings, not so much.

Chew on that.