Wanda D. Keefe
Letter to Family
[retyped
To
our Family
This
morning I attended the
Today
is also the feast day of
During
Mass I found myself writing you all a letter, in my head. I decided that I would concentrate on getting
down on paper as many of the thoughts that I could remember. Many of the things that I will try to say to
you now, I have at one time or another said to each of you alone.
First
o all, during the good times and the bad in the past 33 years, even though your
father and I at times felt like quitting, we never stopped loving each
other. There were many times we had to
work hard at reminding ourselves of this but, it was well worth the effort.
I
know you are unable to understand my feelings about a large family but, I never
have regretted that we had any of you; and can not think of a time when I
didn't know all of you or you were not part of our lives. You were all
conceived in love and raised with love. I know there were times when you each
wished that I didn't care so much.
The
psalms I am quoting were from today's Mass and they are very appropriate for
what I always prayed you would understand. Psalm 138 '139
"O Lord, you have
probed me and you know us?; You know when I sit and when I stand; you
understand my thoughts from afar. My
journeys and my rest you scrutinize, with all my ways you are familiar. Even
before a word is on my tongue behold me and before, you hew me in and rest your
hand upon me. Such knowledge is too
wonderful for me; too lofty for me to attain. Truly you have formed .my
innermost being; you knit me in my mother's womb. I give thanks that I am fearfully,
wonderfully made; wonderful are your works.
My soul also know full well; nor was my frame unlen? To you when I was
made in secret when I was fashioned in the depths of the earth. Your eyes have seen my actions, in your book
they are all written: My days were
limited before one of them existed."
I
have to make you understand that I love and respect you all as individuals but
my prayer will always be to remember your creator and also my hope is that you
will remain close as a family. I have
always prayed that you would follow God's first commandment and all others
would follow. I delight in your triumphs
and happiness and suffer through your problems with you. The hardest thing for me has been to stand
and see you learn things the hard way, when you think you are doing the easy
thing. As much as you would like it not
to be so at times, the fact remains your hurts are ours. Each of you are a separate, unique person --
there never was another you and never will be
-- so love and respect your mind,
body and soul.
As
a family we have had much to be grateful for. With all the ups and downs we
have never had a serious tragedy. For
this I try to count my blessings very often.
With the trials and triumphs of raising you, I must impress upon you
that I did not do it alone... With your father away so much, I could not have
made it through the loneliness and the fear without God's help. When things got bad and I would get
discouraged, I would stop trying to do it alone and tell God he was responsible
too and had to take over. He always did and another crises would pass.
This
afternoon I received a dozen red roses from your father, I cried, so, you can
see how sentimental I am becoming.
I
can almost hear one of you saying, "When is she going to end this
drivel?" I want to thank you all for your good wishes and love on our
anniversary and all the other times and I am glad you are all you.
Much love from mom
==========================================
Hand written on AK copy
I
finally did get a lot of it down on paper. Was nice talking to you but know
sometimes I really chew your ear off.
Things
are going pretty well and I'm at peace with the world.
Dad
is coming home Fri Morn. We are picking Moira and Jackie up and bring them in
for the weekend. Have been promising them.
Will make plans this weekend of when Mark and I will visit Dad in