Ritual for Mom

As I write this I am doing a ritual. I have sorted through my mother's paperwork. And boy did she save everything, every bill, many receipts. There is tons of information about my mother on these documents from personal information to credit card numbers.



My brother has a shredder at work, but I decided to do a ritual. I am burning all of these documents in an old metal popcorn can my mom had lying around. I find it appropriate that it has snowmen on the outside of it. Of course they're not melting, but they're pretty sooty by now. She had a lot of documents.



I kept all of the important stuff, so don't be worried. I'm finding it very therapeutic to burn these items. It is also very therapeutic to have coconut rum while I am doing it. It's nice to unburden my mother from all of these obligations. Mostly monetary.



But I am saving the best for last. The grande finale will be the medical reports, all the Xrays, physical exams, CT scans that never really diagnosed her with what finally got her in the end. My mom remains an enigma. A woman who can't be predicted. Who can't be pinned down to a single diagnosis.



I will deliciously enjoy watching the cancer, the diabetes, the high blood pressure, the liver disease all go up in flame. I want to unburden her. She is unburdened already, I know. But this is one last gift of freedom I can give.