It was on her birthday that one LDS mom, overwhelmed with life and seeking answers to questions, visited her own mother who was suffering from Alzheimer’s. When they were all alone, the daughter confessed, “Mom, I’m feeling overwhelmed with my life.” That's when God sent her a small miracle, answering her prayers in an unexpected way.
A new understanding has come to me as I’ve been slowly losing my sweet mother to Alzheimer’s over the past several years. I used to think that I had to go through heartbreaking experiences first, and then, after the most intense pain was over, the Lord would tenderly help me to make the needed repairs. But now, I’ve come to see the healing process differently:
The Lord has the power to heal our hearts at the same time as they are breaking.
My experience with my mother has given me the chance to witness firsthand how the Lord can simultaneously let us experience the bitter while also making it sweet.
The Best-Laid Plans
I’ve always wanted to be just like my mom. I admired her sweetness and her trust in God. When I was in third grade, I noticed that the other moms at the elementary school were more fashionable than my mom. Their makeup, jewelry, and clothing were beautiful, while my mom just looked normal. (That’s how I felt compared with the popular, beautiful girls: “Normal.”)