Almost a Year

My mom died almost a year ago, on March 20th. The past year has been a series of firsts. First it was her 56th birthday a few weeks after she passed away. Then it was Mother’s Day. For years she asked for a mother’s ring and my sisters and I never got around to getting it for her. There would always be next year. Times like this make you wonder about regret. Then it was Christmas, the first major holiday without my mom around to call. And then in January it was my 31st birthday and the first time she didn’t call to wish me a happy birthday. Around this time last year it was a year since we last spoke on the phone. The grieving process is interesting and I always keep wondering how many more of these “firsts” will sneak up on me.