Tribute to Mom

By Steve Mosley

Some who knew Mom only through her writing may have thought she was some sort of other-worldly religious mystic, continually communing with nothing but nature and completely oblivious to current events.

Of course, it is very true that she was devoutly religious, deeply spiritual and always attuned to the beauties of nature. However, as a longtime civics teacher, I had to work very hard to remain informed enough to discuss with her everything from Cape Girardeau's controversial roundabout to ballot proposals in Missouri to the worth or lack thereof of adding a prescription-drug benefit to Medicare to the impact of the Iraqi conflict on our relations with Russia.

I recall that when she was in the care center I tried to convince her to vote via absentee ballot for a revenue-enhancing proposal. ... She listened patiently and then simply shook her head "no" and said, "No new taxes." End of discussion.

Mom, who prepared her own tax returns, received numerous letters over the years from the Missouri Department of Revenue. Every letter she received said she owed the state unpaid taxes. My reaction was to blow my stack and say something like, "Where do they come up with this?" Hers was to simply sigh, dig out her tax forms and, within one day, send a firm but politely written letter to the effect that, "No, as a matter of fact, after going over my filing, it seems that you owe me" -- and I remember one in particular -- "$7.42." Within a matter of weeks she would receive a check from the Department of Revenue ranging from a whopping $11 and change to the already mentioned $7.42.

Mom was always a farm girl at heart. She had an encyclopedic memory, an uncanny eye for detail and a God-given talent for translating all of that into beautiful words which gave spiritual meaning to the little things in life that many take for granted, ignore or overlook. To me, she was my mom. However, as I grew older, I slowly but surely began to recognize her special ability to communicate with spoken and written words.

Toward the end of her life, with the deadline for submitting a column approaching and at a time when she could neither type, write nor print, I asked her if she would like to have the Southeast Missourian run a previously published piece. She closed her eyes. I thought she was going to sleep. Then, with eyes closed, she began dictating a column about my daughter, Lauren. Knowing I would be allowed but one shot at it, I scrambled for a pencil and began scribbling as fast as I could. Lucky for me, when my saintly wife, Viney, read it to her from the newspaper the following Sunday, Mom evidently heard no mistakes.

One of the last things she said to me a couple of days before she died was in the form of a question. She asked me if the original Julius Caesar was dead when Jesus was born. Thank God I had taught world history long enough to be able to answer, even providing some dates and historical context. After I did so, she closed her eyes, smiling, with a satisfied expression on her face.

Was she testing her son, or was another idea for a column germinating? We'll never know. I'd like to think it was both, in part because I passed the test and in part because, knowing her, the column is now completed and perhaps even published and distributed by a heavenly press.

I think it is appropriate that I end these few words of tribute with the one-word signature that graced her column for so many years, summarized her philosophy of life and served to encourage readers that, as difficult as it may be at times, there is one overriding attitude and perspective all should strive for during this brief time on Earth when we behold God's creation.

REJOICE!

Steve Mosley is the son of Jean Bell Mosley, longtime Southeast Missourian columnist and well-known author. He delivered these remarks during her funeral Monday.