3 Things I Wish I Knew Before My Mom Passed Away

Recently my mom passed away after a two-and-a-half year long battle with lung cancer. Naturally, this caused me to think about all the things I regret, wish I had done, and wish I had known prior to her passing. Often, we are so wrapped up in what is going on in our own little world that we don’t take the time to appreciate the important things.

You can NEVER take too many pictures.

We all have that one relative that always has a camera ready, especially during our most embarrassing moments. Perhaps YOU are that family member. Let go of the annoyance, ignore the annoyed, and let the flash blaze on. You will be happy to have the moments saved in photographs for years, to share with your children, and maybe even share with your grandchildren.

If you are wondering if you should celebrate your 28th birthday, 33rd birthday, or even your 71st birthday, the answer is always an ecstatic YES!

As we get older, we decide that birthdays are nothing to celebrate because it’s just an ordinary day like any other. This simply just isn’t true. At my mom’s funeral, the officiating Priest told me that the dates on a tombstone are not what really matters; it’s what happened during the dash in between that matters. What does this mean? It means simply that the way you spend your years is what makes a life memorable and worth grieving over. Your birthday signifies yet another year in the dash where you got to make an impact on the world.

Treat every holiday and special occasion as though it may be a loved one’s or your last.

My mom got to spend one last Christmas with our family. It happened to by my daughter’s first Christmas. I realized while going through photos for her memorial photo boards that I didn’t take any photographs of my mom with my daughter. Things were left unsaid. Things were left undone. Some of these things seemed trivial at the time, but it truly is the little things that you will miss the most. Cherish every holiday, make each occasion something to remember, Take pictures. Get in there and do something you are afraid to try for the first time. Take more pictures. Hug, laugh, love, and truly embrace the moment.