Blindness

Suda Mae is my mom.  She is the one who made me hang up laundry, do dishes, and other mean things as a child...but I have forgiven her (smile) and I am glad...now.  She has always been my number one cheerleader. A few years ago, she began to go blind, having macular degeneration along with glaucoma.  It is very rare...especially with this particular combination of both.  There is no cure or operation left to be done.  My brothers and I took her driver's license away from her about three years ago.  She was not a happy camper, but the decision had to be made.  I became her taxi, "go pher", and...her wheels basically.
Every day, her sight changes.  She is eighty-one now.  Some days are a lighter shadow than others, but none are good.  I am amazed at the transformation she has gone through....from anger to joy...from frustration to peace.  My mom did bookkeeping and taxes for many, many years.  The loss of her eyesight has taken the work from her that she loved to do...but she is learning to be content right where she is.  It is a process.
I imagine myself in her shoes.  Would I be so positive? Would I get up, get dressed, and put on make-up? (we have laughed about that one more than once).  She often has on earrings that do not match, shoes of different colors, and brown pants that she thought were black...but she still smiles about it and we both can laugh.  My job involves reading and looking for lost things on the floor.  We have developed a system that works for us in any given situation.  
She cannot see faces, and identifies people from their voices, or perhaps their height.  So far, she is able to stay in her house, as she has it memorized.  We plan for her to live with us in the coming future...a time we do not talk about for now.
My mom has taught me many things in her life, but the most important lessons were not the things she thought she was teaching me...but from what I have observed - her attitude, her love for family, and her ability to hope for better things to come.
I am thankful to God for all of this.  It has made us both stronger, and me more caring.  God means all things for good to those that love Him and are called according to His purpose...so Your will be done, O Lord, not ours.
She and I recently talked about her not being able to see the faces of the ones she loved...but the next face she does see will be the one of her Savior, Jesus Christ.  Perhaps that will make her joy with Him extra sweet.