In honor of Mother’s Day, here are five ladies who taught me about the mother I want to be.
Who are your five? Or for the guys, what mom figures most influenced to you?
Tag Archives: Shirley Drury
The Mother I Want to Be
9 May9 Secrets to Being Great
15 Apr
Today I’m remembering a great: a great grandma, mom, wife (of 50+ years), friend, community leader, youth mentor, bowler, shorthandist, cook … just an all-around great woman.
You know that phrase, “They don’t make them like they used to.” That pretty much sums up Shirley.
We lost her a year ago today, and I’m been feeling a bit melancholy, I’m not going to lie.
But there wasn’t anything about Shirley that was melancholy. Heck, the day she passed, she went out with friends to see a barber shop quartet and have cocktails. She was 91, mind you.
So, I’m doing my best to direct my energy toward the positive things about Shirley—and there are a lot of them to choose from.
Even if you didn’t know her, here are nine Shirley-inspired ideas for living life to the fullest, from someone who spent nine decades doing just that.
3 Days With Shirley
27 Aug
Shirley, overcome with appreciation at the 3 Day.
Last year at this time, I was cheering alongside Sue’s family and friends at the Minneapolis-St. Paul 3 Day for the Cure.
Standing by my side: Szaba (well, she was crawling actually), my hilarious nephew Aaron, my sweet niece Ali, and Sue’s phenomenal mother, Shirley.
Memorial Day Remembrances
28 MayHere are some of the many special people we’re remembering today and a little snapshot as to why.
I hope this little project brings a bit joy to your day and spurs you to share a story of a loved one with those around you.
If you’d like to add your own memory here, it’s never too late for that. All are welcome! Simply post a comment below.
Marjorie Henderson
(Pictured on her wedding day with her husband Donald.)
Confirmed sweetest woman on the planet. Avid photographer.
Loved Paris and anything blue and white.
Richard William Gabrielski
Thumbed from Maryland to Massachusetts to give me, his little sister by 9 years, a heart-shaped locket with the Coast Guard insignia on it … ON my birthday! When the sun came up my parents put him on a bus back to Maryland before he was AWOL!
Words of Wisdom
30 Apr
As I venture forward into a future without Sue or Shirley, I’m comforted by these words of wisdom from Shirley herself. They are from a speech she wrote for our wedding, and I read them at her service.
Take advantage of the insight that only a century of living and loving can truly bring. I think you’ll find there are lessons in here that speak to each and every one of us.
From Shirley:
I learned that life doesn’t always go the way you plan, but I also learned that is not always a bad thing. Sometimes the curves life throws us can unexpectedly lead to a better path.
A Life on a Page
18 Apr
I wrote my second obituary this week. That’s not something I ever thought I’d add to my repertoire, but it is nice to have something productive and helpful to do in times like these.
Last time I was a deer in headlights when the family asked me, but there are plenty of online templates and how-to articles to walk you through it, should you ever find yourself in that unfortunate situation.
