Felicia lived surrounded by flowers, wherever she went roses, tulips, cayenne, lilies and many others went with her to decorate her environment and to keep her company, it was one of her greatest passions to see them flourish and bloom.
She always thought she was born to give life, I think it was no coincidence that she had 8 children, yet she spent many afternoons alone having a cup of coffee on the sofa in the living room. As we know, the years go by and everyone goes their own way and is on their own. She lived with one of her daughters and one of her sons, who, in their own way, gave her the care and attention they thought best.
Elisa, one of her daughters, lived on the other side of town and came to visit her frequently, about twice a month, usually. They could never miss their favorite moment of coffee, the aroma permeating the house and Felicia's smile that made you doubt whether she was smiling with the coffee or with Elisa, there they remained in a chat full of stories a thousand times told. Elisa showed astonishment pretending to hear them for the first time or at least a hint of a smile, it was easy to be very patient with her mother, if she only saw her a few times during the year.
Elisa and Felicia's relationship grew over the years, they were not always so close, but it was strengthened when Elisa had to take care of her mother three times due to health issues. Felicia realized that her daughter Elisa really loved her and her way of showing it was with deeds and details.
The years passed and Felicia felt more and more tired, time does not pass in vain and even less if we repeat to ourselves that we are already old. Elisa tried to help her with as many things as possible when she went to visit her, however, she noticed that some things were already difficult for her mother, such as dressing, bathing, walking, watering the plants....
She was beginning to see her mother as a child and often treated her that way. One day, she was preparing a coffee for her afternoon snack and told her mother that this coffee had a magic ingredient, a honey that could fulfill any wish, if she drank the coffee imagining that wish already fulfilled.
Felicia replied:
"My greatest wish is to see all my children happy, I've lived long enough, I'm not even sure if I want to be born again."
Elisa:
"Just think of your wish, Mom. I am thinking about mine".
Suddenly, Elisa, in her reverie, saw herself with a little girl in her arms. She saw herself being the mother of a happy and loved child. It was strange to have thought just that at that moment, she did not have children, she did not wish to have them, she always believed that she was not born for that, but what her mother said made her think about eternal souls. Will we live again? Are there other lives?
And she came up with a crazy idea, she thought: "if I have to live again in some space-time, I want to be with her again but I don't want to be born from her, I would like her to be born from me and be able to give her a childhood different from the one she had, run together in the park, give her presents at Christmas, tell her bedtime stories, take her to school, ride a bike, play with strollers and dolls...".
They finished their coffee and Elisa helped her mother off the couch, with her slow steps she went to her room to take a nap. Elisa tucked her in, just like her mother tucked her in as a child, she lay down beside her as she continued to listen to her stories.... Almost asleep, Felicia asks, "When are you leaving, daughter?"
"We will always be together, Mom."
I dedicate this story to my dear mother, a woman who went through many hardships and difficulties, yet her integrity, strength, nobility and good humor are undeniable. I wish I could do so much more for her, but sometimes I don't know how.
