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Sharing the Love

mika

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In this first post, I’d like to share my vision for this blog, as well as the thought process that brought me here.

I envision this blog sort of as journal for me — a tool to express my thoughts and feelings around my mom. I really like to talk about my mom, and I also enjoy writing a lot, so a few months ago the idea came into my head to start writing about her. I haven’t had the strength or courage to do it for a while, but it’s been on my mind for a long time, and with the start of the new year I thought I would try to get it going.

That said, words can’t begin to truly express the depth of my love and admiration for her. But that’s okay — my mom knows how much I love her and that’s all I need.

I decided to create a blog instead of a personal journal because I want to share my mom’s beauty and impact with close friends and family. If you’re reading this chances are you know my mom in a pretty close capacity, but there are also facets to her that you may not have seen, and I want to share some of these. Each of us has so much we can learn from her.

I decided upon five categories of “lessons” for my posts:

  1. Values — Special and significant character traits of my mom’s
  2. Habits — Meaningful behaviors of hers
  3. Around the House — Thoughtful and creative things she’s done around the house, making it our home
  4. Food — Recipes she’s made for the family that I now also try to make and experiment with
  5. (F)unlessons — This is a fun category of silly, out-there things she’s done that we might better take as “un”lessons!

My plan is to post a lesson that fits into one of these categories on a regular basis; that might mean once every few days to once a week or so depending on how I feel as I proceed with this.

You will see in my posts that I’ll be talking about my mom in the present tense — that she is, not that she was. That’s because she IS; she just is elsewhere. She lives restored to a new and imperishable body in Heaven now, where one day my family and I will join her and be together again. I think it’s human nature to talk about people as they “were,” and understandably, because we don’t see them in the way that we used to — but respectfully, I don’t think this to be correct. My mom knew she was going to live in Heaven, and she knew that we’d be together again when the time came. And although I struggle very much with my faith these days, I trust my mom more than anyone in the world, and since she knew where she was going, I trust that’s where she is. I also trust that she is the same beautiful person, just living in a more beautiful place.

This blog is a celebration of my mom, and in line with this, if you want to comment on a post to share your thoughts or special memories of her, I certainly invite you to with this aim in mind. This blog is not a place of sorrow, even though the sorrow and pain are ever present. It is a place to share love for my beautiful mom, my inspiration, Anju.

26 thoughts on “Sharing the Love”

  1. Well done Mika. I am delighted you are taking this initiative and look forward to reading this post and future updates. Thank you. Rajiv Mama

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    1. Thank you Mika. There is much to share about Anju, a caring mother, wife, daughter, sister and best friend to many. Vineet

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      1. We are so happy to hear that you are sharing your inner feelings and thoughts so that we may also rejoice in being with our beautiful friend, Anju! We look forward to your periodic posts.

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    2. Mika, what a wonderful way to share your thoughts, your love for your mom, and for Anju with us. I hope that you are well, and that if there is ever anything that you might need, or even want to talk about, please know that I would be blessed to help.

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  6. Well done, Mika. Your Mom and Dad must be proud of you, and as are we. Thank you for bringing Anju’s smile and wisdom to walk with us.

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  8. Dear Mika,

    This is such a beautiful thought and tribute from a daughter to her loving mother. I would love to read about Anju and yes she had the personality of this loving and kind lady that she always was. I can still feel the kindness and love in the hugs she would always greet me with.

    Looking forward and best wishes to all of you.
    – Sunita and Ravi

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  11. Thank you Mika, I look forward to Life Lessons with Anju. She has always been leading through her conviction, strength, grace and love. I am looking forward to the (f)unlessons 🙂

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  12. Dearest Mika, what a brilliant idea! Thank you for this opening into your life, and the life of your mom. I love your pioneer’s spirit. I’m looking forward to learning things from, and about both of you. May the Lord bless your most wonderfully creative endeavor.
    Love, Lucinda

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  14. Such a beautiful first post, and so proud of you for combining your two passions together in this blog. I can’t wait for more. Love you

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  15. Thanks Mika… right there, in your first note, there are so many lessons. I look forward to learning from both mom and daughter. Love

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  19. Mika, What a beautiful way for your mother’s continued presence to be shared with her circle of friends, family and so many others whose lives she has touched in remarkable ways. I’d actually like to share your Blog with the other members of our playgroup. We all hold dear the time our families shared and learned first hand from Anju’s love, dedication, inspiration and creativity. Anju’s spirit and love clearly lives on and is expressed in and through you and your family. Thank you for sharing!

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  21. Hi Mika, We were members of your playgroup years ago in Farmington. We were saddened to hear about Anju’s death. This is a very beautiful way to memorialize her. God bless you and your family. Jill and Stuart, Stuart Jr., Mary, Bee, Tom and Jimmy

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  22. You are loved! I like the idea of the use of present tense. Her life is an example to many of us. Her lovely smile lives on and her actions, too.

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  23. Pingback: Driving with My Mama: Part 1 – Lessons from Anju

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