My six brothers and I all contributed to the eulogy that will be read by my youngest brother at my mother's funeral this morning. This is my contribution:
As a child, I remember asking mom what she had wanted to be when she grew up. She answered that she was doing exactly what she wanted: being a wife, a mother and a homemaker. I asked whether she really hadn't dreamed of being a nurse, or a teacher, or something else, and she answered quite adamantly, No, this is the life she had always envisioned for herself.
I've often thought about that answer. And the thing I keep coming back to is that being a homemaker is a profoundly important job. Just think of the word -- homemaker / "a maker of a home." It implies planning, building and maintenance of one of the most important institutions in our society.
A home isn't just a house. It's not just a place where we eat, sleep and watch TV. Rather, it is a place of nurturing, of safety, of guidance, of relationship building, of happiness and, most importantly, of love.
Mom was a true homemaker for my dad, my brothers and me, and unhesitatingly built new rooms onto that loving home every time a beautiful new bride came into the family or a wonderful new grandchild came into the world. Let's hope our children and our children's children enjoy as much success in their careers as mom did in hers.
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