Across the Universe Happy Valentine’s Day Mom!

While in elementary, I had remembered immersing in pages of books with graphic illustrations of the planets in our solar system. My mom was never a fan of anything science fiction or science fact related; however, one thing she had always enjoyed profusely, my explanation of how much I loved her. In my response, I had stretched my out my arms to their furthest expanse saying, ”I love you from the planet Mercury to the planet Pluto.” That familiar exchange of affection had seemed big enough to fill my existence through the edge of the Milky Way.

Cherishing those memories now, I had reflected on friends and other peers living through their mother’s passing. Life had never seemed to offer convenient times for interrupting with bad news. A few weeks ago, my mom had come down with this year’s seasonal cold eventually leading to admission into to the hospital. Luckily, she was on the mend and off to Vegas by the following weekend. Funny thing, I was a bit frantic about being unable to reach her for my weekly Saturday morning call. I hadn’t felt such anxiety since my childhood. A childhood that was filled with obsessing about my parents dying. Maybe it was fear of nuclear war during the 1980s or a separation phobia. Who knows? Who cares?

One thing that hasn’t changed since childhood that distant memory. That reverence still fills my heart expanding across my existence. Nothing summarizes that feeling better than the Beatles song, Across the Universe.