Do you remember...

♫ Do you remember the 21st night of September...♫

The 21st of September was my mom's birthday, and I always remember. What makes that song unique is the other memory I have to go along with it. One holiday afternoon while setting the table, my brother, Mark, was singing. His beautiful voice filled the air with the words, "Do you remember..." and as they trailed off, my sister, Dawn asked him if he knew the other half of that phrase. We all turned our attention to her as she finished, "the 21st night of September...".

Once again, my mom had made her presence known in the strangest, yet most comforting, of ways. If I'm feeling sad, I listen to that song, and think of that day. Her birthday was always special, and will never be forgotten, and neither will she. I love the way her words, her experience, and her time spent influences my life still to this day. I may miss my mom, but I never miss the memories of her I hold dear to my heart.

Now that I am a mother myself, I hope to follow in her footsteps one day. For my children I want to be a mother, a mom, and a best friend. She may have left some big shoes to fill, but nothing is impossible as long as she is with me along the way.