~The Tree Foundation~ ©

     I am going to speak to you today about the vision of the charity I have been planning for quite some time, where it all started and what has prompted me to go ahead with it now.

My Mother gave to others, all of the time. Most of the time she had very little but instead of complaining or letting it defeat her, she kept giving, sometimes literally all she had. She hated to see someone do without or to see someone with a wounded spirit. She touched many lives in her time on Earth.

We sat for many accumulated hours discussing the need we felt called to address and since Mom’s passing I see it now more than ever.

I will give you a story to illustrate and maybe from there you can see what I am shooting for and making my dream of helping others into a reality.

On July 20, 2011, my Mama had a doctor’s appointment. She was frail, sick and even though I didn’t want to come to terms with it, she was dying.

I was prepared that morning to get her ready as usual and help her get cleaned up and ready to see her physician.

I went into her room, and I stood there watching before she knew I was there. I saw a light in her eyes, a sparkle, and I waited to see what she was doing. She turned and met my face with a smile as always. Trying to stay as upbeat and positive as I could I said “You ready for Nurse T here to get you ready?” She quickly told me, “No, I am going to get ready by myself this time.”

How could I tell her no? I knew she had very little self pride left because I was her constant nurse and she had poked and probed so much, I had to hope to she was able to carry out a once simple task.

I glanced back into her room just to make sure she was steady enough to go through with what she had willed herself to do. To my surprise she was trying so hard to do her nails, and then her toes. She wanted to feel pretty, even amidst all of her sickness she ached to feel like a woman, one that had always taken care of herself the best she could.

I heard her door open, and I couldn’t help but trembling and crying, she looked so beautiful. She had managed to find her favorite top and skirt combo and not only had she painted her nails she was wearing makeup. She was so radiant, I didn’t see her illness, I saw her beauty, and she felt it as well. She walked slowly towards me as she once had, with dignity and pride.

I noticed she had found a broach and had fastened it properly on her dressy top.

She smiled so pretty.

She went to the doctor and as I assisted her in sitting down at the dining table in her house, her blue eyes welled with tears. “Tesi, baby it isn’t good.” She need not say anymore, my guts felt like falling out, she knew, I refused to believe but she was sure her time was now limited. I refused to come to terms with it.

I just stared at her and how very beautiful my Mother was, an image I will never forget.

To some this may not strike you as odd, but you see Mama had spent every penny she had on medications, doctors and meager amounts of food. She was coming to the end of her life and she didn’t have anything. She did however have me, my children and a love that words can never touch in description.

She had never been able to afford luxury items, some we take for granted, the nail polish she used was some I had gotten her for Christmas and she was delighted, also I gave her a plush, fluffy robe that she wore until she passed. 

She didn’t have many nice things, but she much more than material wealth.

Our idea for a charity was to give to people that couldn't afford the small luxury items, nail polish, perfume, fluffy robes, comfy socks, snuggly throws, deodorant, and cologne for men, things that are wonderful to have but things that so many people can’t have. The people who struggle to live, who give every penny to bills, a roof over their head and feeding themselves.

She and I had devised the plan of putting together boxes filled with items such as those mentioned above and distributing them to people, to make them smile but most importantly to make them feel good about themselves.

I put the idea aside after Mama died. Oh how I hate typing that but I must.

This week I fought myself about speaking of something very personal that happened immediately after she passed. I decided for the good of others I will share, I don’t think that Mom would care, she had so much pride, but now I think she would want me to do whatever I could to get my point across in order to help others.

As we were making the arrangements with the funeral home, I was presented with a problem, and it makes me feel so sad as I type this, and I wish I could have done more, I had picked out her outfit, the ones she wore that final time to the doctor for her to be buried in, and then I realized my poor Mama didn’t have decent undergarments to be buried in. Just re-reading that sentence makes my soul ache and the tears begin to flow. We had both spent every penny we had combined to pay for her medication, me at the time being a single parent and not having a lot myself, I did as much as I could, and to me it just wasn't enough, she deserved more.

 I stood in her bedroom, looking through her drawers for something suitable for her burial, and I couldn't.  I hate to even type the rest, but I am going to. I counted change to purchase new undergarments for Mama. I couldn't bear the thought of her being laid to rest in something worn out. It broke my soul.

Now I look back, and I never want another soul to have to live like that. To not have simple, little things to make them feel good about themselves; I want those less fortunate people to have simple joys, the happiness of a pretty scent, nail polish, undergarments, fluffy things that bring comfort, from a sweater or robe. Things they can’t seem to get for themselves.

I am starting the “The Tree Foundation”, and my main goal is to bring little things to people who have seen a hard time, fallen between the cracks, known poverty and give them a feeling of being somebody, and looking in the mirror and admiring how much better they feel when presented with items that enhance them, help them and most of all let them know that someone cares about little things.

I am naming it The Tree Foundation because Mama, and Mama alone called me Tree. She said I gave her shade, and a breeze of hope, and all the while remembering my roots.

We go through life so often and gripe and complain, and when I see people fussing and getting out of sorts over trivial things it bothers me, your life could be so much worse, wealth isn't measured by dollar amount, it is tallied by who you are, what you are made of and what you can to change the world, or at least the world of one person. It is my mission to touch, heal and give hope and I am going to be working very diligently to get this charity started so many people can feel beautiful and find a feeling that someone out there cares and loves them.

Be rich my friends, be rich in friendship, love and peace. Those that know those gifts are the richest among us. When you feel compelled to gripe and grumble, remember, someone out there is struggling just to live.

Here are my thoughts.

 ©

Teresa