Some things never leave us.

I've been thinking and thinking about what to write today...hoping in some way that another cup of coffee may contain the necessary jolt to set the words in motion.

You see, today is my mom's birthday. If she were still here, she would be 81 years young.

She's been gone now 3 years, and I have been keeping a list of all the things I wanted to ask her.

It's a funny list full of unrelated questions like:

What ever happened to the needle point purses we made in the 70's?

and , what age were you when you were diagnosed with diabetes ?

the other day I was trying to remember a poem she taught me about courage and persistence...I used to recite it for her in the kitchen...it was a light hearted romp of a poem, easy enough for a 10 year old to memorize, but filled with a deeper message that I hold tight to this day...along with If by Kipling and a slew of others....

HERE'S THE POEM, I FOUND IT ONLINE!

IT COULDN’T BE DONE

POEM VIEWS: 47734

Forced to drop out of high school to help support his family, Edgar A. Guest started his long career at theDetroit Free Press as a

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BY EDGAR ALBERT GUEST

Somebody said that it couldn’t be done

But he with a chuckle replied

That “maybe it couldn’t,” but he would be one

Who wouldn’t say so till he’d tried.

So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin

On his face. If he worried he hid it.

He started to sing as he tackled the thing

That couldn’t be done, and he did it!

Somebody scoffed: “Oh, you’ll never do that;

At least no one ever has done it;”

But he took off his coat and he took off his hat

And the first thing we knew he’d begun it.

With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin,

Without any doubting or quiddit,

He started to sing as he tackled the thing

That couldn’t be done, and he did it.

There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,

There are thousands to prophesy failure,

There are thousands to point out to you one by one,

The dangers that wait to assail you.

But just buckle in with a bit of a grin,

Just take off your coat and go to it;

Just start in to sing as you tackle the thing

That “cannot be done,” and you’ll do it.

Thanks mom, I needed that.....