Mom and Dad

What character traits do you admire most about your parents?

I have struggled with this question for several reasons. I did not have best relationship with my parents and with both of them having passed so recently emotions are still raw.
But I have been able to sift through the pain, frustration, and fear to find what I do appreciate about Mom and Dad.

I'll go with Dad first since I have already touched on it in an earlier post.
My dad was a patriotic man. He loved this country. He held firm to his beliefs. At times it drove me crazy that he was so pig headed and would loudly exclaim his view...to anyone...in any setting....horrifying to witness as a teenager.
But now I can see that was part of his patriotism. He knew he lived in a country where he had that rite.

Mom. This one was harder to put my finger on. In the end. Loyalty. My mom was loyal to her family and her Southern roots. I knew that she loved her Momma. She adored her baby sister. She was a bit prideful about her Southern ways. I am a mixture of a man born and raised in Massachusetts and a woman born(NC) and raised in Virginia. I am split down the middle. My love of the south blooms from summers in Virginia with my cousins, aunts (not pronounced ants) and uncles. I knew my mom would be happy then. With her sister. Long walks on the beach and laughter. I grew up with cornbread (ugh), spoonbread (even more ugh-ier) and black-eyed peas on New Years Day (yum). My mom had a beautiful Southern accent that I really didn't hear until the last 5 years of her life. When I speak with my aunt I can hear her again. Sing song and extra syllables.

As much as this has been a struggle I am thankful for the opportunity to quietly think of my mom and dad and express my gratitude for them and the legacy they left for me.