The Tallest Man in the World?

At Mom’s funeral, we asked guests to write down their favorite memory of her.  These index cards are my favorite source of information about the different sides of mom I didn’t get to know.  To me, she was a brilliant mom.  But to others, she was a co-worker, manager, neighbor, friend, or aunt.  "The Cards" teach me a little about how to be a better human and a better parent.

Many of the stories people shared were not necessarily about what she did, but how she made them feel.   And they typically include stories I’d never heard before, such as this one:

““How could I ever forget going to see the Tallest Man in the World when I was all of about five years old. How unfortunate that he had broken his leg and couldn’t stand up. All we ever saw was the hat on his head. And yet, it’s still one of the most vivid memories of my childhood!” – S. ”

I have no idea what happened this day, other than a special outing between an aunt and her five year old nephew.  Going to see the tallest man in the world who couldn’t stand up sounds very suspicious.  I don’t know if they were at a cheap travelling circus or if she was making a trip to the hospital emergency room seem less scary. 

But this teaches me three things about parenting and personal connections:

1.     I want to lead a life where people write memorable stories about how special I made them feel. 

2.     You can make up fake superlatives about tall people if you are in need of a quick fun event.

3.     You never know when you are making a moment.