Two Mothers I Remember

"When I find myself in times of trouble, mother Mary* comes to me,
speaking words of wisdom, let it be.
And in my hour of darkness she is standing right in front of me,
speaking words of wisdom, let it be."
*Mary was Paul McCartney’s mother who died of breast cancer when he was 14.

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Mom -- I have called several women that name. Some I remember. Some I do not.
Two mothers gave me life. One at birth. The other when I was a first grade orphan kid, with two sisters and a brother, and nowhere to go.

One mother birthed me into this world, and left, and came back, and left, and came back, and left. This mother took us to the beach on Galveston Island. She also passed out at a five and dime store, sitting in a chair as the store manager gave her water. This mother gave us away, because she could not take care of herself, much less four children under six. The last time I saw her was the last time I saw her.

The other mother rescued us. She was already a mother to three teenage girls. Now she was a mother to five girls and two boys. She did not know what she was getting herself into. If she did, we would have had other mothers. She fed us and fed us and fed us. We went to church and went to church and went to church. She was there when we were sick and scared and lost. One mother gave me life, and left. The other mother gave us life, and a future. One mother I will never see, the other mother I will see today,as my family drives almost 300 miles to celebrate Mother's Day.