My Mother

My mother died about 5 years ago, just before her 96 birthday.  She lived a long full life after being born and raised in Winston-Salem, NC.  She only attended college for a semester due to financial constraints but compensated by reading as many books as she could, doing research in the public library, talking with scholars, and visiting historical sites all over the world.  She was well traveled in the US, Mexico, Canada, Scandanavia, Europe, Russia, India, China, the Middle & Far East, and Australia.

I would not be far off if I made the claim that she read a book a week, 50 books a year for 60 years...  which would work out to about 300 books during her lifetime.  The books were best sellers, historical, religious, archeological, etc.

Each summer we took a two week vacation that was totally based upon education.  In the car, she would read a book out loud about the site we were going to visit.  When the family traveled through Europe on our way to Cairo, Egypt, my mother had me read The Agony and The Exstacy learn about Michelangelo.

My mother, when we lived in Alexandria, VA took me to all sorts of museums and art galleries in Washington, DC and well as to the National Theater to see Broadway Plays:  My Fair Lady, Carousel, West Side Story, The Music Man, and several others.  Not sure why she took me and not my sister and I never thought to ask her.

My mother, more than my father, had a huge impact on my life and she will always be in my mind and heart until the day I die.