Today, our precious Mom would have turned 80 years old, though I don’t think she ever truly aged—and I’m pretty sure she wouldn’t have been thrilled with me sharing her age here! She had a presence that people were drawn to—her smile and laugh could light up a room. She genuinely just knew how to make people feel good–whether you knew her for years or you just made small talk with her at the grocery store, she always had kind words or compliments that went along with her sweet smile.
A little story: Anytime she or any of us needed to boost our mood, she’d play “I Feel Good” by James Brown. It always worked! And in what I believe was a sign from her, a few days before her funeral, my siblings and I had lunch at a Mexican restaurant in Dothan. About a minute after my brother Patrick, who was the last to arrive, sat down, “I Feel Good” played on the radio. Not a typical song for a Mexican restaurant! We knew it was her way of telling us everything was going to be okay. So, if you’re ever having a rough day, give that song a listen—it just might lift your spirits, just like it did for her.
In her 80 years of life she accomplished so much and touched so many lives—as the mom of five, grandmother to fourteen, and, most of all, the beloved wife to our Dad. She called each of us, “her favorite child” — although I’m pretty sure that I was the true favorite — just kidding!
It’s been almost six months since she left us, which still feels very surreal, like time has both rushed by and stood still. It’s hard to believe she’s no longer here with us. None of us were ready for her to go; we all thought she was invincible. But God had other plans for her.
I know that my Dad and siblings all agree – life is so different now in numerous ways. Some days are better than others, but she is always on my mind. She was, and still is, such a big part of me. Even though we lived miles apart, our phone calls were frequent, and her voice and advice always brought me comfort. The sadness can be overwhelming at times. There’s a huge piece of my heart that feels missing—a strange emptiness that remains while the world continues moving around me. But even with the sadness, I feel a sense of peace knowing she’s in heaven, watching over us. I can feel her presence with me, hear her voice in my heart and I dream of her. And I know that we’ll be together again one day.
On her birthday, I want to celebrate the wonderful, beautiful person she was. She was the best mom and grandmother anyone could ask for, and she was incredibly gifted in all she did. While she was never one to “toot her own horn,” I’m going to do it for her! Many of you know she was an award-winning writer who spent years creating beautiful short stories, novels and even screenplays. In her earlier years she was an artist, advertising agency owner and songwriter, too. She had ten published novels and was in the process of writing her eleventh! While I love her books, what brings me even more comfort now is her blog, which she wrote almost daily for nearly 10 years.
It’s a blessing to be able to read her words, which continue to offer me guidance, wisdom and comfort. I am grateful for this gift that she left us that will last forever. She poured her heart into her writing and I don’t want her work to be forgotten. If you haven’t already, please take a moment in her honor to explore her books (I’ll include the link below). Many are available for free on Kindle, although I love having the hardcopies. But more than anything, I’d love for you to read more of her blog. Her words may inspire you just as much as they continue to inspire me. While I’m currently reworking her regular author website, her blog will be still up and running.
In closing, I want to share a quote from a past blog post that she wrote on her birthday several years back:
“I’m grateful for the happy times I’ve experienced, and for the lessons learned through the sad times. God is truly awesome. I don’t know how anyone goes through life without knowing Him. He is my greatest, continuing birthday gift. Oh Lord, How Great Thou Art for giving me this life. And for never leaving me alone while I live it.”
—Kaye Park Hinckley
Happy Birthday, Mom! We love you more than words and miss you beyond measure. Thank you for all that you have given us.
CLICK HERE TO SEE KAYE’S BOOKS ON AMAZON
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