Family Values? How will you bring up your children?

We received an email from my mother last week (Fri, Oct 28). The message was simple and to the point!

"Hi
I just wanted to let you know that Russell (John) Willard died yesterday.
Dolly called and let me know.
We have some pretty cool weather now. Furnace time.
Everything and everybody seems to be doing ok.
Happy Halloween
Love Mom"

It may seem cold and callous to some, but this is Mom! She is in her eighties, having survived her husband and three oldest children (thus far - there are four of us left)! She does NOT do email, unless it's to forward jokes! This was a huge effort on her part! Personally, I would have preferred a phone call, but maybe this was easier for her to handle it!

John was my cousin, eldest of the generation, in his seventies. He was the only child of my aunt on my Father's side. The only child besides me and my siblings! My mother's side is quite large! You can't expect much else, coming from a Polish Catholic community!

But anyway, John will be dearly missed and kept in our prayers! He is survived by his wife, Dolly (Rose), and two daughters!

When I was growing up, there wasn't a lot of money, so there was not a lot of ceremony come birthdays, holidays or even Christmas! Birthdays were not a big deal! "It's just another day!" we were reminded. When a relative would pass on, we would hear, "It happens!"

My mother is a stoic woman! I can count the times I've seen her cry on one hand. One can only imagine how she handles herself in private!