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Patty Craig: A Slice of Time

Marilyn Grace (Patty Craig's mom)

Recently, my mom turned 82. She is a fine lady! Happily, I can say that she is healthy and lives independently. And, as most of you would say of your moms, I admire her greatly.

Many qualities make my mom a fine woman, but four characteristics inspire my respect:

•    My mom is faithful. She is a devoted Christian, attending the same church for most of my life. She also participates in the church quilting group, their church’s senior group and the mission organization. She was a faithful wife for 60 years, until my dad’s death in 2009. If she commits to something, she doesn’t quit easily.

•    My mom takes care of her health. When I was little, I remember thinking (I’m sure like many children) that my mom was the prettiest woman I knew. She was always slim and tanned easily. She enjoys working outside, too. Her activity level has kept her fit: she’s a worker! She continues to do her own house cleaning as well as caring for two dogs. In recent years, she has walked with a friend for exercise and carefully followed her doctors’ directions. She continues to look well-kept, and she’s an attractive woman.

•    My mom has good survival skills. She can grow a garden as well as can or freeze the produce. She can process meat. She also knows how to milk a cow (a skill she did not want me to learn). She can take care of barn animals and knows quite a bit about farming. She can transplant grapevines, tree sprouts (and they live), and most other plants. When I was young, she literally kept the home fires burning; thankfully, she has central heat and air now. If the situation demanded, my mom has the knowledge to survive adverse conditions.

•    My mom is a kind human being. She gives others “the benefit of the doubt” (Wikipedia defines this phrase as “a favorable judgement given in the absence of full evidence.”). She’s able to be forgiving, to see the other side. She is a nurturer. She raised six children and has grand-parented 11 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren. My mom has also unofficially adopted several people. Many of them are near my age and continue to drop by to see her occasionally. She has a way of listening and encouraging others – a gift. My mom looks people in the eye and listens to what they say. The number of people she cares – and worries – about is a good indication of her kindness.

Someone once said, “God gives us our relatives, but thank heaven we can choose our friends.” I’m blessed with a mother whom I would choose as a friend. She has my deepest admiration and respect.

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Comments

Sounds like a wonderful person! I love that picture and I can see her cheeks in Summer & Paige! You are so lucky!
Patty she is all you said and more. She is the same every time you see her and she always has a smile. I saw her last week at a homecoming and she hugged me just like she always does. I too have great respect for her. She is one of kind. A great example of wife and a lady.
Patty, what a wonderful tribute to your mother! Always enjoy your articles.


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