On Mother's Day

 In a future blog I’ll discuss two mental states: the ACTIVE and the PASSIVE. Thinking of active/passive brings up thoughts of my mother, on whom I write a brief meditation. She isn’t here to thank for all she gave.

Ruth B. Simon’s second career was seismology. She had a passion for the subject and hoped to discover how to predict earth quakes by observing cave crickets.

 My mother lived as if pursued by a pack of wild wolves. There was never enough time for her to accomplish what she wanted. Raising five children (especially as a single mother) was challenging.

But she could only ‘give’ what she had. She was long on DOING and short on BEING. She didn’t have the luxury to meditate; to understand the deepest core of human existence ( which I view as  a state of communion and acceptance). 

As a seismologist she studied the earth’s core, and observed its tumult, recorded on seismographs. She traveled the world and wrote a manual for scientists, teaching them to interpret seismograms, records of the earth’s movement, made by scribbling pens on rolling drum of the seismograph.  

She worked at Lamont Geological Observatory under the auspices of  Dr. Jack Oliver, whom she regarded highly. He was the first to document that the core of the earth, composed of tectonic plates, shifts continuously and is responsible for  earthquakes. (Fortunately most of these occur in silent areas under the ocean floor.)   

Thank you Mom for all you gave. If you had more time ( or if you have another lifetime) I know you would have arrived (will arrive) at the state of BEING.

Dear Reader, I hope you too are meditating on the gifts your mother gave, and I hope you have permission, the freedom, to think about what you would have liked that she couldn’t give. I welcome your comments. (jsimon145@gmail.com)