My brother Matt and I celebrated the life of our Mom today on the third anniversary of her passing first with Mass at Mount Carmel, lighting a candle for her in front of the Statue of St. Jude (her favorite saint), a walk through her favorite park, and then breakfast at The Daily Treat, almost like a second home for all of us Kirnan’s growing up in Ridgewood. As Matt and I shared some of our great memories of Mom, we couldn’t help but feel even more love and gratitude for all that she gave to us and my sisters — always believing in ourselves, always encouraging us to work through whatever our challenge was, and to persevere through adversity and finish the race of life until God decides to call us home.
I have so many special memories of my Mom so it’s difficult to choose just one but one memory that stands out of late are the many times I would read to her in those last few years of her life, especially Mitch Albom’s “The Five People You Meet in Heaven”. Even though she was struggling with the early stages of dementia, we connected in ways that I never thought were possible as she used her imagination to relate to each of the characters in the book. Mom enjoyed it so much she would often ask me to reread one of the chapters which often produced an entirely new perspective.
Grieving the loss of a loved one takes time to process and everyone’s journey is unique and deeply personal. Three years later, I still miss those moments when I could simply pick up my phone and call Mom and while that part of our relationship has ended, I still call her everyday in prayer and I know she listens to me and watches over me from that special place called heaven. And for added comfort I can still hear her voice as I often tap my large reservoir of phone messages that she left me over the years. As the song says, “I’ll always love my mama, she’s my favorite girl. Ill always love my Mama, she brought me in this world.”
I love you Mom — always have and always will, Jackie
Prayer to St. Jude “God, I ask you to send me consolation in my sorrow, courage in my fear, and healing in the midst of my suffering. Amen”
