Conversation With Estelle

I spent an hour on the phone last night with Mothers best friend, Estelle. I wanted some reassurance about a few things and it was just like talking to Mama. She has always referred to Mama as the "baby girl" because she was the youngest in their posse of four-Estelle, Dixie, Sue and Mama.

I wanted to know if they thought the funeral was "good enough" if the flowers were "pretty enough" and so on. Estelle said that she and the girls had talked of nothing else all week except how beautiful Mothers funeral was. This settled something in my spirit that I had indeed fulfilled an obligation as a good daughter.

I told her our trouble of not knowing what to do with Mothers possessions and that it felt disrespectful to even remove one item of clothing from her closet. Estelle said "Pam, your Mother has no possessions at all. Do you think that she is sitting somewhere right now worrying about that navy blue jacket, or those cups and saucers on her buffet table?"

I needed permission from Mamas best friend to move forward and she gave it to me. What a blessing that phone call was. She added that I should get rid of that hideous painting in the living room that Dixie had given her since everyone knows that Dixie has absolutely no taste and they all had something ugly hanging in their house from her.

I think I need to be mindful that I am the "older woman" to a lot of young woman out there, and that I do indeed have the power at times to ease someones spirit with words of acceptance, encouragement and plain old Southern Wisdom.

Pammie