Pansies for Mom

Today would have been my Mom's 57th Birthday. On this day in the years since she passed I have suffered on this day no matter what I do. Celebrating birthdays was such a pleasure for her, so it always feels wrong to be so sad on her's even though she is gone.

This morning I woke up feeling strangely good and I made up my mind that this year I would do  things she loved, celebrate her life and what she has taught me. I ate a slow, delicious breakfast: warm croissant with jam and coffee.

I went out to my garden and decided I would finally do something about the weeds and pansies that had grown wild in my front yard. It is kind of strange because pansies were one of my Mom's favorite flowers. I used to give her birthday gifts of various kinds with pansies on them since I was a child. Since spring has sprung in Sweden this year somehow the seeds from the pansies in my window boxes from last year spread seeds all over the yard.

My Mother was an avid gardener and today my husband and I decided to make her proud by taking the wild pansies one by one and planting them into brand new window boxes. We worked all day in the sun and sipped lemonade. In place of the wild pansies we planted dahlia bulbs, our wedding flowers. I think my Mother would have been proud of me. We honored her memory by taking care of her pansies and alongside them started new memories by planting flowers that have significance to us.

We worked so hard that I did not really have the time to feel sad the way I usually do. It is only now when I look at these photos do I shed some tears, but still with a smile on my face.

Thanks for teaching me to enjoy the simple and beautiful pleasures in life....I Love You Mom!