Keeping Short Accounts

I am very, very, very deeply grateful that my mother and I did keep "short accounts" with each other up till the end. Reconciliation, rapprochement, forgiveness ... these were not among the final tasks set before us.

This was not the case for my father and I. He died almost a quarter of a century ago. He and I were very much estranged in life and in death. I'm not sure much could have been done given our history, to be honest. Still, I regret not having made the attempt.

My mother and I, on the other hand, had, by God's Grace, settled our differences long ago. She was by no means perfect; but then of course neither was I. In any event, we had said what needed to be said. Our mutual forgiveness was as complete as mortals can with God's grace achieve, I think, and all that past was long past as we neared the end. All this allowed a parting that I'm sure would have been very different if marred by residual resentment of some kind. Instead, all I can really think about when I think about my mother's end is my mother's courage and generosity and love till the very end.