Ninety-nine years ago today, September 5th, the 4th child (to survive to adulthood) of Norah and George Conrad was born in Red Bank, New Jersey. They named her Bertha Marie Conrad, though as she grew to adulthood she preferred to be called "Bert," and then as the better half of a couple, "Bert and John," my parents. She was a teacher in the public school system in Monmouth County, N.J. Her favorite grade to teach was 4th grade. "Fourth graders are old enough to catch on to learning, but not old enough to be behavior problems." She had a particular gift of teaching children not only how to read, but also how to love to read. All four of her sons to this day are great readers. Though she lived only until 1961, she had a profound impact on everyone who knew her. Years and years after her death, whenever I'd run into people who knew her they would universally say, "Your mother was beautiful! Both inside and out." I wonder what she's reading in heaven? Probably hearts.
Speaking of hearts, 11 years ago one little lady with a very big heart departed this life to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven: Mother Teresa of Calcutta. She had a phrase that she used a lot: "Do something beautiful for God." It was not a phrase I ever heard my mother say, but it would certainly have been something she would have liked a lot. My mother was pleasing to look at, pleasing to be with, and pleasing to learn from. The pleasure of who she was is testimony to her having fulfilled the admonition of Mother Teresa: "Do something beautiful for God." My mother certainly did!
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