Anyone who has a wonderful mother has a lifelong blessing. I am one of those people. Every day, I thank God for my remarkable mother, Rosalie DeYoung Shepherd.
Not only did I have the most amazing, loving mother. My mother’s lifelong best friend doubled the blessing. Eighty-nine years ago today, the gift of another wonderful woman came into the world. Today, I am thanking God for my “second mother”, Lucy Brooks.
Lucy and her husband, Irvin were members of Cooper Memorial Methodist Church when my father was appointed to be the pastor there in 1949. Their first child, Terry, was born on Christmas day of 1949. I was the firstborn in my family 6 months later. The four of them became fast friends. After my parents moved from Louisville, the friendship continued, deepened and grew. It was no ordinary friendship.
Every single week, my mother wrote a letter to Lucy about our family. Every week, Lucy wrote my mother a letter about the Brooks family. Oh how I have wished that they saved those letters! That would be the complete, unabridged history of our families.
Even though the firstborns have grown up in different geographical places since we were 2 years old, there was a common denominator in the love Lucy had for both of us. Every year on May 28 –every single year—I have had a birthday card from Lucy. “Love you much” has been her signature “sign off” to cards and phone calls and visits.
When my mother had surgeries in the two years before her death, Lucy was on my “first-to-call” list along with mother’s blood sisters. She and my mother were sisters of the heart. They had a special gift of loving each other…and loving everyone in their lives.
Lucy has given me that precious gift of unconditional love that is so rare for humans but so typical of God. Throughout my life, I have always known that Lucy loved me…loved me unconditionally. Could I have disappointed her? Yes, I’m sure that was possible. She has very strong principles. Lucy was a teacher and she spent her life building up the character of children in the classroom and everyone she knew. But I have had the treasured experience of knowing that nothing – absolutely nothing—would keep her from loving me. Her husband, children, grandchildren, friends who live closer to her experienced it even more. That’s a God-love. And an indescribable blessing.
Lucy is 89 today. I don’t need a special occasion to be thankful for her life. But on this day of her birth, I am especially grateful. “I Love Lucy” is more than a funny TV show of my childhood. It is the affirmation of my heart. Love you much, Lucy. More than you will ever know, your love has made a difference in my life.
Not only did I have the most amazing, loving mother. My mother’s lifelong best friend doubled the blessing. Eighty-nine years ago today, the gift of another wonderful woman came into the world. Today, I am thanking God for my “second mother”, Lucy Brooks.
Lucy and her husband, Irvin were members of Cooper Memorial Methodist Church when my father was appointed to be the pastor there in 1949. Their first child, Terry, was born on Christmas day of 1949. I was the firstborn in my family 6 months later. The four of them became fast friends. After my parents moved from Louisville, the friendship continued, deepened and grew. It was no ordinary friendship.
Every single week, my mother wrote a letter to Lucy about our family. Every week, Lucy wrote my mother a letter about the Brooks family. Oh how I have wished that they saved those letters! That would be the complete, unabridged history of our families.
Even though the firstborns have grown up in different geographical places since we were 2 years old, there was a common denominator in the love Lucy had for both of us. Every year on May 28 –every single year—I have had a birthday card from Lucy. “Love you much” has been her signature “sign off” to cards and phone calls and visits.
When my mother had surgeries in the two years before her death, Lucy was on my “first-to-call” list along with mother’s blood sisters. She and my mother were sisters of the heart. They had a special gift of loving each other…and loving everyone in their lives.
Lucy has given me that precious gift of unconditional love that is so rare for humans but so typical of God. Throughout my life, I have always known that Lucy loved me…loved me unconditionally. Could I have disappointed her? Yes, I’m sure that was possible. She has very strong principles. Lucy was a teacher and she spent her life building up the character of children in the classroom and everyone she knew. But I have had the treasured experience of knowing that nothing – absolutely nothing—would keep her from loving me. Her husband, children, grandchildren, friends who live closer to her experienced it even more. That’s a God-love. And an indescribable blessing.
Lucy is 89 today. I don’t need a special occasion to be thankful for her life. But on this day of her birth, I am especially grateful. “I Love Lucy” is more than a funny TV show of my childhood. It is the affirmation of my heart. Love you much, Lucy. More than you will ever know, your love has made a difference in my life.
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