On September 5, 2014 I had the last meal with my mother. We had take out from  Panini Cafe in Aliso Viejo, California. Our last meal consisted of the following: Mediterranean Salad Basmati Rice Koobideh Kabobs Grilled Veggies Grilled Chicken Shish Kabob Sprite Grape Juice People Present: My Mother Valerian, William, Danielle, Ezekiel, Makeda, Darius, Jazmine, Amiyah, and Me. Can I say it was GREAT… Here is the link to Panini Cafe: www.mypaninicafe.com. I highly recommend their food. It was several of us eating and my brother and sister-in-love recommended that we would get a good meal for value. We had some people at the last supper that are picky eaters, but I can say everyone was satisfied with this meal. My mother raved on and on at the house, and  our way back to the hotel “That was some gooooood food. Oh My that was really really good.” To kind of give you an idea about the last supper, we just had a peaceful meal. From my great-niece having her conversation about Doc McStuffins and my nephew sitting on the couch as my mother held him because he liked looking around.  We were just having a good time. I also remember my mother looking on my camera and I said ” Some of those pictures may not be mommy proof.” She gave me a look and kept looking then eventually gave it back to me. There was no profound wisdom or words of advice, just family sitting and enjoying each other. I think my brother was trying to figure out a way how he needed to be rich and giving professional advice to my nephew that he should do “coding”. We all just kind of shook our head after that “coding” statement, while my mother sat back as she does listening to all of the chatter of her pride her joy, her children and grandchildren and great-grand-baby. I would have never thought that would have been my mother’s last meal. I think about that last meal and guess the lesson she may have been teaching was, importance of diplomacy and family regardless of how you may feel about a person or situation. My mother had a unspoken but very important rule. Mealtimes was a time of sharing, enjoyment and never disruption(arguments, yelling, or fighting). She wanted every person to feel like they were apart of the conversation(especially the children) and in order for that to happen one person could only talk at a time. Now, if there were different conversations in the same room or at the same table, your conversation should not interrupt the other or if she felt you were whispering, she would just ask” What are you over there talking about? I wanna know too.” I have been asked the question about my last meal and I actually wrote down, that I wanted my mother at my last meal. I am so glad that I was able to be present at her very last meal. She left me with a sense of understanding the importance of sharing meals with people who love you and those that love you as well.  Make every meal an experience with those you love like it is your last one.

MAKE EVERY MEAL COUNT… IT MIGHT BE YOUR LAST!!!