Published: May 11, 2008 12:59 am            

A Mother's Day tribute

The wonderful smile of my mother, Frances Davidson, lights up any room. And, it has always been there, in spite of the many heartbreaks she had endured. Her oldest daughter was found dead from an accidental overdose of a prescription drug. Her husband, Meyer, was plagued with the insidious disease of Alzheimer's for the last 15 years of his life. The beginnings of his terrible disease were at the very early age of 55, and a characteristic of this disease for my father was rage at all who loved him, and particularly my mother. In 1968, my mother and father were the target of a thwarted Ku Klux Klan bombing, which could have very easily cost them their lives and the lives of many of their neighbors, as well.

Though many people might consider her experiences to be heartaches and burdens, my mother has managed to look at each one as a reason to be grateful to still be here today. Her resiliency and tenacity to persevere through life's setbacks has been a shining example to those who know her. She has been an outstanding role model in terms of always looking at life as a glass half full, rather than as a glass half empty. Mother just celebrated her 86th birthday, and her smile is bigger than ever. She considers herself to be the most fortunate person on earth. My only hope is that, if I'm blessed enough to have an 86th birthday, I will have her attitude-and hopefully that same kind of smile.



Marty Davidson

Meridian

        

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