Two days later， I had a call from my stepfather. My mother was dying. Family members were gathered for last rites. They put me on a speakerphone to hear the service.
That night， I tried my best to send a loving goodbye to Mother over the miles. The next morning， however， the telephone rang：Mother was still alive， but in a coma and expected to die any minute. But she didn' t. Not that day， or the next. Every morning， I' d get the same call： She could die any minute. But she didn' t. And every day， my pain and sadness were compounded.
After long weeks passed， it finally dawned on me： Mother was waiting for me. She had communicated that she wanted me to come back if I could. I hadn' t been able to before， but now I could. I made reservation immediately.
By 5：00 that afternoon， I was lying in her bed with my arms around her. She was still in a coma， but I whispered， "I' m here， Mother. You can let go. Thank you for waiting. You can let go." She died just a few hours later.
I think when a connection is that deep and powerful， it lives forever in a place far beyond words and is indescribably beautiful. For all the agony of my loss， I would not trade the beauty and power of that connection for anything.
因为我们所具有的非凡的默契和感知能力，我和母亲之间存在着深厚的母女情结。
14年前，我住在印第安纳州的埃文斯维尔市，那里距离我的母亲——我的知己、我最好的朋友有八百英里。一天早上，沉思中的我突然觉得急需给母亲打个电话，问问她身体是否还好。起初，我犹豫了。因为母亲是四年级的老师，7：15打电话给她会打乱她的日常规律，使她上班迟到。但是，还是有某种力量驱使着我放下一切顾虑打给了她。我们聊了三分钟，她向我保证自己很安全、很健康。
那天晚些时候，我的电话铃声响起。是母亲打来的，她告诉我说，可能是我早上打给她的电话让她逃过了一劫。如果她早三分钟出门的话，她就很可能是州际公路上交通事故中的一名受害者。在那场事故中，数人死亡，多人受伤。