Memories for February: She Talked!

My mom absolutely loved to talk!  Almost anyone could tell that upon first meeting her.  She could talk to anyone anywhere about almost anything.  Wherever she went, she would find people to chat with.  When she went to the store, she would always see lots of people that she knew (or didn't know!).  Those "quick runs" to the store were never really quick!  I remember we would sometimes say to her (after waiting out a lengthy conversation), "Mom, who was that?"  And she would say, "Oh, I don't know, just someone I met." And then she could tell you their life story.

When I was younger, I didn't really appreciate her "visiting" talent..but as I got older, I recognized it for the true gift that it was.  She loved people and just loved to connect with them by visiting together.  In any situation, she would find a way to find out about the other person.  She loved to talk to older people, teenagers, young children...people who were like her and people who were very different.  I remember that she taught me such a great lesson...if you are good at asking other people questions, the conversation will never drag and there will always be something to say.

She loved to talk to us.

We spent hours and hours and hours around our kitchen table or out on our back patio just talking.  When she was gone, that is one of the things I missed (and still do!), the very most.  I have inherited her love of talking.  I love to visit and find out about people.  Earlier today I had to go to Walgreen's for a prescription.  I was in a hurry but of course, there was a problem with the insurance card, so I had to wait for quite a while....I thought about my mom...and I thought about what I was going to write today...and I struck up a conversation.  He was a truck driver in his 50's....he has been diabetic for several years but has to control it with only diet and medicine because if he took insulin, he would lose his job...he has 2 kids...he is disgusted with the costs of his medicine and health care in general.  I told him about my kids, my Utah roots, my feelings on the state of our nation.  And then our prescriptions were done, and we said a cheery good-bye...and I thought of my mom...and how I cannot wait for the day when we can sit down and have a nice, long chat about anything and everything.

(I chose this picture because it shows that back patio where we spent so much time just gabbing away...Grandma Betty is helping me hold the cake and Melissa is in the background...August 1981)