Mum

It's Mothers day. I didn't realize that at first this morning because my Mum has been gone for so long now. She died in 1978 at the young age of 53 from pancreatic cancer. I do know if you had met my Mum you would have liked her immediately. She was smart and had a sharp wit that she used often. Mum wasn't shy about calling it like it was and I sometimes think that penchant for saying what I think came directly from her. She was born and raised in Glace Bay NS to a family with either 11 or 12 kids, I can never remember because there were either 11 or 12 kids in my Dad's family. I get them mixed up. As a teen she was a star basketball player and travelled around Nova Scotia playing basketball with her best friend Lenny. Her parents had both died while she was a minor so her oldest brother took possession of the house, sold it out from under her and two of her younger sisters so she ended up living with an uncle in New Waterford for a spell. New Waterford was where my Father was born and I suppose they first met there, eventually marrying in Toronto.
Mum was the rock in my life because she did what so many mothers did back then, stayed at home and raised the kids. I never needed a house key because Mum was always there, probably in the kitchen baking pies from scratch or making my favourite fried chicken. She was a massive Leaf fan. When Team Canada beat the Russians in 72 she hadn't been able to get to the washroom because she might have missed some of the game so when Henderson scored the goal she jumped up and peed herself. Now that's a fan. She didn't get to see me play hockey that much and one time when she did I had to get into a fight. She wasn't impressed that I got into a fight but I think she was happy I won it.
She often talked to us about growing up in Cape Breton and frequently mentioned St. Avecs university which I finally realized in my 30's was St. FX (Francis Xavier). As I grew older Mum started to become more of a friend than a mother, someone I could be fairly open with and I really enjoyed the way the relationship was changing. Sadly I believe a lifetime of smoking caught up to her and she slowly succumbed to the cancer. I still remember seeing her the final night struggling for breath. I kissed her goodbye and just went home, too stupid to realize that I should stay at her bedside until the inevitable happened. I shall always regret that decision. I hope I have done her proud, lived a life that would have earned her respect and love. I don't think I can go any further. I love you Mum.



Chris MacDonald, 1925 - forever in my heart