Mom Would Have Been 92 Today

About this time last year I was writing the last chapter of a novel, Irish Twins, in which the main character, Anne Shields, was en route to peace and resolution. Anne had lived in my head for many, many months steering the vehicle that drove my creativity.

This character was easy for me to visualize and to hear, for she had the voice of my mother. Not only did I hear her very clearly, but I also listened to everything she said. Just as I had listened to my actual mother when she was still alive. My mom was the quiet type—she didn’t say much—so when she did offer an opinion, it carried a lot of weight.

My mom died when she was 80. Today she would have been 92.

On January 20^th each year, I hold her very close; however, there’s rarely a day that goes by when I don’t wonder what my mom would have thought. Shortly after she died it took me several months to stop picking up the telephone and dialing the first digits of her number whenever I wanted to share something. Then, years down the road I had the idea to write the story, Irish Twins, from her perspective. Creating a fictional version of her and her being in the afterlife, allowed me, for a time, to visit with her daily and imagine her answers and her opinions. It was a wonderful exercise in keeping her alive—honoring her life by giving what I knew about her to a fictional character and keeping her close.

So again, about this time last year when I finished the story, it was a bittersweet experience. Of course, I was delighted to type the words “The End” at the bottom of the manuscript, but I was completely unprepared for the immediate flood of grief that filled my senses. It was like saying goodbye to her all over again.

A friend of mine named Mike just lost his mother on Tuesday. I wish I didn’t know what he’s going through, but I do. I’ve witnessed many friends lose a parent over the past 12 years (in the time I not only lost my mom, but also my dad) and it’s the same for all of us. It’s painful and it’s difficult. But because of their deaths, we learn even more about the value of life and, what I believe is our duty to live well.

Today, however, I don’t focus upon my mother’s death. I focus on her life and the beautiful woman she was and will always be in my head. And all is well.

“Nothing is hurt; nothing is lost. One brief moment and all will be as it was before. How we shall laugh at the trouble of parting when we meet again!” —Henry Scott Holland

Group/Book Club Discussion Questions

Irish Twins

1.     The term Irish Twins, describing two children born to the same mother within a twelve-month period, dates back to the 1840s when massive numbers of Irish people came to the United States. Discuss the Irish Potato Famine, what it was, what caused it and the effect it had on the Irish population. How were the Irish treated in America and what other derogatory terms arose during this period of time?

2.     There are two sets of Irish Twins in this story. Anne and Molly and Caylie and Jenny. Discuss how each set of twins is alike and how they are different.

3.     The narrator of this story, Anne, opens the story by detailing the day of her death and her journey into the “afterlife.” Do you believe in or have a vision of an afterlife?

4.     What role did Anne’s Catholic upbringing play in her afterlife experience?

5.     Anne gives a lot of thought to how she “abandoned” her Irish Twins when she moved with her husband, Michael, to Mitten Lake on the day of Caylie’s high school graduation. What effect did her departure at this time have on Caylie and on Jenny?

6.     Nearly every cup of tea presented to Anne is different. Describe the various cups and their significances to the scenes.

7.     Discuss the relationship between Jenny and Caylie. Does it change after their mother’s death? And if so, how?

8.     Discuss the personalities of Anne’s other children, Marie, Darlene and Ronny. What kind of relationships do they have with Jenny and Caylie? And why does Anne spend more time focusing on Jenny and Caylie than her other children?

9.     At the time of her death, Anne had been married to Michael for 56 years. What were the dynamics of their relationship? Was Michael a “good” husband to Anne?

10. When Anne sees her Irish Twin, Molly, for the first time in Ohr, she describes her as looking like the “she did when we were girls—the way she always appeared in my dreams.” Anne proceeds to “visit” her children through their dreams. Have you ever felt as though someone who has passed away has visited you in your dreams?

11. Jenny’s most precious possession is the gold watch, which Anne gave to her on Caylie’s wedding day. What significance does the watch have in this story?

12. The subtitle of Irish Twins is “A Story About Life and Death, Sisterhood and Forgiveness.” What role does forgiveness play?