Missing Our Mothers: A celebration like no other
Shirley Thimothee-Paul, RN, MSN
Photo by Normans Photoland
Today I saw my mother in my sister’s eyes. I held her hand and danced with her. Mother, I AM HERE! Do you see me”? Do you see the vastness of the ocean? Do you feel the sun upon your face? Do you smell the roses and see my friends? I claimed you Mama, I claimed you. My sister’s eyes lit up as she squeezed my hand and Mama said “and I AM HERE WITH YOU”!
Oh, what a difference a day makes, as two hundred women witnessed a wonderful program of the Greater Fort Lauderdale, Broward County Chapter of the National Black Nurses Association’s (GFLBCC-NBNA), inaugural Missing Our Mother event. VITAS Healthcare, Westside Gazette and WMBM were major sponsors.
In the view of the sandy beaches of the lovely Marriott Harbor Beach Resort, women walked in with their backs straight and their heads held high in hopes of finding comfort as they remembered and honored their mothers. Some had tears, some wore smiles and all had questions of what was to come. A celebration of mothers that have passed, by the daughters that are left behind.
Veteran Channel 10 TV news journalist, Vicky Frasier-Williams with her beautiful smile and familiar voice, led the touching ceremony while internationally known and acclaimed, award winning novelist, Edwidge Danticat, captivated the audience as she shared the story of her loss and brought her mother to life most eloquently.
Two hundred women laughed and cried, rejoicing as they watched their mothers’ pictures being shown on two large screens for everyone to see, while the beautiful sounds from the saxophone of the gifted Randy Corinthian soothed their hearts. Missing Our Mothers, Daughters Remember!
Not a cloud in the sky for miles and the sun shined bright in abundance on a celebration
like no other as the women walked to the shoreline. The finale was a dedication of remembrance lead by Derek Davis, Curator of the Old Dillard Museum as a wreath was tossed into the ocean for all mothers everywhere and the daughter tossed a single red rose for their mother!
“You know I prayed for this kind of perfect day and God answered my prayer,” said the President of the GFLBCC-NBNA, Deborah Mizell as she looked up at the sky. When the event had come to an end all that was heard was, “today was fabulous; this program was helpful to me; remember to invite me next year.”
A celebration like no other, that is the truth and you can certainly count me in for the next one!
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