's Daily Message - Shirley

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's Daily MessageTuesdayFebruary 28, 2006

AN ALTER OF ROSES

Seven years ago today, my mother put on her nicest pair of high heels and walked to heaven. I had been in New Orleans that very day. I spent time hugging and kissing and singing to her. Gee, I hope my singing didn`t cause her demise! LOL! You have to have a sense of humor about the whole thing. It`s what gets us all through it.

Anyway, in the early afternoon, I left her bed and took a plane back to Los Angeles. As I walked in the door, the phone was ringing, and it was my brother telling me she had passed. Yes, that was seven years ago, but it seems like only yesterday, and I have to tell you, it doesn`t get any easier each year. It gets harder.

Yesterday I pulled out this beautiful leather scrapbook that is solely pictures of Shirley from when she was a young child to her 86th birthday! I sat on the living room floor and laughed and cried for about 2 hours. I looked at pictures from June of 1948 of my mother pregnant with me. Her hair was in a big braid that she wore on the top of her head like Frieda Kahlo`s. There were 2 gardenias close to her left ear.

I found another picture of Shirley and me in front of the St. Louis Cathedral School. Matter of fact, it was my first day of school! My mother wore a 2-piece purple suit, black hose and shoes, and a matching purple hat adorned with black feathers. She was a knockout!

I had pages and pages of pictures of Shirley on her birthday. That was a big event for the family! My father was an excellent photographer, and he snapped some exquisite photos of her. And I have lots of pictures of Shirley when she did the Citibank commercial with me and pictures of us when we appeared together on television.

My mom was some lady! A day doesn`t go by that I don`t think about her several times. I know sometimes she would get really close to my face and say, "Honey, I love you so much. I know in my heart, you`re going to be something special when you grow up, and I`ll be right there cheering you on." And as you know, she was! I took some of the photos from the album and brought them up to my bedroom and placed them on my desk, next to the crystal vase filled with blooming pink roses. Hey, Shirley, put a good word in for me!

Love,