Five years after her death, a 20-year old letter tells powerful story of a mother’s love
I was rummaging this week in my Windows documents folder – my generation’s version of a cobwebbed attic – looking for something I no longer recall, when I saw a folder simply labeled “Mom.”
It’s been more than five years since my mom died of ovarian cancer at much too young an age. Five years: a blink and an eternity all at once. I try desperately to remember the sound and cadence of her voice. I trip over triggered memories of time-bleached events, hoping to add new detail to my imperfect archive of childhood. Occasionally, I pick up the phone to call her, only realizing my folly when I struggle to remember her number.
Unexpectedly finding something that is about her, belonged to her or pictures her is like discovering treasure buried beneath a sun-drenched palm.
Inside this particular folder was a single document, a pdf named “College Bound.” My first thought was that it was simply a wayward file, misplaced in a folder I once meant to fill with something meaningful. Still, the title wasn’t familiar, so I double-clicked, not knowing it would send me headlong into the past.
Greeting me at the top of a scanned, type-written letter was a date: September 22, 1994. Twenty years ago. The year I began college. So, this was going to be about me. My eyes jumped to the bottom of the first page, where I saw my mom’s name and signature, nudging from my subconscious the faintest memory of my dad sending me something in those hazy months following mom’s death, something she had written that I’d probably like to have, something I likely had been too sad or stunned to open at the time.
I learned in this moment that she had written an essay about her experience sending her only son off to college. Staring back from the screen were four pages, like the chambers of her outpouring heart, gifting me new insight into a woman I knew and loved for more than 30 years – one last conversation, however one-sided, that I never thought I’d have.
It’s not even the words she wrote that struck me so deeply as the clarity with which I could hear her voice in them. This was no forgery, no parlor trick. This was my mother, as intelligent, as empathetic and as sentimental as she was in life.
And that could have been enough.
But this essay was more than just a diary entry. It was a submission.
The letter introducing the essay was addressed to the Articles Editor at Good Housekeeping Magazine, New York, New York. She had mailed the essay, hoping for publication. She wanted other moms dealing with the emotional turbulence of having a child grow up and move out to not feel so alone. Selfless to the last.
Now, despite the fact that I operate a public blog, and write about many things, including myself, I’m still a fairly private person. And although I’m pretty sure I’ve matured beyond the point of being embarrassed about anything my mother would say about my teenage self, I can’t help but feel a little self-conscious as I release these words into the world. My mom, however, wanted to share her perspective with others. That was her wish, and so it is mine.
Good Housekeeping may not have published your essay, Mom. But I will.
Thank you for the surprise… and for everything else before.
COLLEGE BOUND
BY BARBARA PODOLSKI
To the readers:
Before I begin, you must take note that the opinions and perceptions expressed in this article are not necessarily those of the young man I write about. They are exclusively mine. After all, how many children view things the same way as their parents? So in order not to humiliate or embarrass anyone, I repeat, this is my story and my feelings alone.
* * * * * * * *
I could say it all began when he stepped on that school bus the first day of kindergarten and never looked back, but that would bring back too many painful memories and I want to deal with the present. I wasn’t prepared then, and I certainly hadn’t been prepared for what took place a few weeks ago. I sent my only child off to college. I’m sure a lot of parents look forward to the day when they once again have the house to themselves, food left in the refrigerator, and a telephone call that is actually for them. For me though, the feelings were different.
Jeremy wasn’t a miracle baby in any medical sense of the word, but he was my miracle. Our first son had been born prematurely in 1972 and died two days after his birth. Jeremy’s birth, on his father’s birthday, was a sign that this would be one special adventure. The years flew by too quickly as most childhoods do, but I loved every minute I spent with him. Being an only child can have certain drawbacks as I’m sure Jeremy would attest, but the one big advantage is the bond that is formed between mother and son. We always had a special relationship and could talk to each other even during those dreaded early teenage years. He was never a momma’s boy, but strong, independent, and his own person. I was always there for him and he knew that. We were friends. (For you fathers that are reading this, I apologize for leaving you out. You’re a part of the big picture, but you’ll have to write your own story if you want the readers to see things from your point of view).
The thought of having a child in college seemed so far into the future, that when senior year in high school rolled around, I finally had to face reality that it was closing in. Months and months of college applications to fill out, essays to write, scholarship forms, interviews and of course that infamous, confusing, and downright frightening FAFSA were all staring us in the face. Somehow it was all completed on time and my desk now held a two foot high stack of paperwork that had accumulated. There was no turning back now.
With his college selected, his registration done, and his next four years planned out for him, Jeremy felt his life was pretty much in order. I on the other hand knew that beyond the poverty level his father and I would be forced to live in, I would have an empty house and some very lonely days ahead. Now don’t get me wrong, I enjoy spending time with my husband. But after 18 years of having a child in the house, the realization that it will be “just the two of you now”, was a pretty scary thought.
The months that followed had come and gone before I knew it, but I tried to make the most of them. If I learned one thing when raising an only child, it was to take advantage of being there for him every opportunity you can get. Jeremy was involved heavily in many high school activities and was an avid basketball and baseball player. Sitting at his final games and realizing that this was the end of all that, was as heartbreaking for me as it was for him. I would not only miss watching him perform, but I would miss the good friends that I had made and the social atmosphere that surrounded each event. It’s easy to say we’ll keep in touch but sometimes that’s easier said than done. Leaving high school was not only a step into the future for my son, but a step into a very different kind of life for me.
Graduation came too quickly and the final summer of still being “just a kid” was over only too soon. Jeremy’s summer job was necessary to help save for college expenses but it left little time for keeping all those promises that he and his friends made to each other. As the days closed in I reflected a lot on the past eighteen years and how lucky I was that I had been blessed with the joy of motherhood. I was so proud of all his accomplishments and the young man he had become. In spite of my sadness that he would soon be leaving, I was filled with eager anticipation of the wonderful experiences and opportunities that were in his future.
And then – the awaited day arrived. No one had gotten much sleep the night before, and we all got up at the crack of dawn to make the journey I had dreaded all these months. We had to be at the college at 8:00 A.M. to start the moving in process. An ordeal that remains in my mind as a blur. We had borrowed a truck for the move, and it was packed with everything Jeremy needed and wanted to make his new room feel as familiar and as comfortable as his old one had been. As we pulled out of the driveway and started on our way, he again never looked back.
We arrived at the college as scheduled, unloaded Jeremy’s belongings on the lawn, and he and I went inside to begin the ordeal I mentioned earlier. If you’re not a person with much patience, do not attempt to try this. As in our case, I wisely left my husband to wait outside. The line was long and consisted of a maze of people winding around the room and down the hallway into another room. Inside that room were numerous tables each person had to stop at to receive keys, identification cards, class schedules and armfuls of more information that was supposed to make your first day simpler. I say, who are they trying to kid! It was overwhelming to say the least, and a lot of people looked confused and were much less prepared than we were. After more than an hour we emerged back into the daylight.
With that task behind us, we loaded our arms with boxes and climbed the four flights of stairs to Jeremy’s dorm room. I would now get my first glimpse at where he would be starting his new life. I stood in the doorway in a numb-like state and looked around. This wasn’t at all how I pictured it. My god it’s so tiny. How can two people possibly live in here? I was heartsick and couldn’t imagine being confined in this tiny space day after day. There was barely room to walk and where would all the boxes go that contained the necessities of life? I took a deep breath and waited patiently while father and son made numerous trips up and down the stairs to bring in all Jeremy’s belongings. I could visualize now that his things would probably all fit, but there certainly would be no room for a roommate. This was definitely a place for one occupant. They must have made a mistake!
Jeremy seemed troubled and his lack of sleep was catching up with him. He didn’t seem enthused about unpacking and deep down I thought he would prefer to load the boxes back up and go home. That’s certainly how I felt. Trying to be optimistic wasn’t easy especially when the R.A. stopped in and mentioned that last year this floor was the worst one in the residence hall. Just what a parent needs to hear.
We eventually got everything unpacked and organized as well as could be expected. I knew once Jeremy’s roommate arrived, it would all be changed. We decided to hit the bookstore next which made the first ordeal at the beginning of the day seem like a piece of cake next to this. Talk about a tiny room! We left my husband at the far end of the room so he could breath and for an hour I could almost spot the top of his head over the crowd. There were so many confused parents and students and the shock at the cost of the books was on all their faces. Our enthusiasm was next to nothing but we had to do it. Finally finding what he needed and waiting in line another forty-five minutes was so exhausting, that when they totaled our bill and said it was over $300, I almost didn’t care at that point. I just wanted out of there.
We attended the other events that were scheduled throughout the day and I knew our time left there was growing shorter. We would soon be expected to leave as the students had various meetings and activities to partake in. We went back to his room and tried to talk, but what can you say when your heart is breaking? He seemed so young all of a sudden and I didn’t want to leave him. I knew he was apprehensive but he wouldn’t show any emotion. The time had come to say good-bye and my husband practically had to drag me to my feet. Jeremy walked us to the parking lot and I didn’t want to let go. I hadn’t felt this way since he was two years old and had to go into the hospital for minor surgery. I can still remember the feeling in the pit of my stomach when I had to leave him at the O.R. door and they wheeled him away. I was having those same feelings now. I knew he needed me. How could he figure out all this on his own? I hugged him tightly and watched him walk away. I waited, but he didn’t look back. I wasn’t prepared for this and could hardly bear it. This wasn’t how I was supposed to feel, was it? Shouldn’t I be happy? After all, wasn’t this what we planned for and dreamed about? I just stood there and cried while my husband held me. I never felt so utterly miserable in my life.
Those were my feelings on that day. Feelings that were filled with very strong emotions. Of course I can look back now and feel a bit foolish at all my anxieties, but I won’t apologize for the love I felt. A mother’s love.
College life agrees with Jeremy and he’s as happy and content as I hoped he would be. He’s made his adjustments as well as I’ve made mine. I still stand in the doorway of his empty room and ask myself where all the years have gone. I can still picture a beautiful, towheaded little boy so young and curious and just learning about life. I smile as the tears roll down my cheeks.
Letting go wasn’t easy. It was one of the biggest challenges I’ve faced. But as I took that painful step forward and into the future, I knew that someday, when the time was right, he would finally turn around and “look back”.
Jeremy Podolski 
Jer,
Thanks for sharing this essay. I like you, had forgotten about it. Another insight in to how wonderful a person, mother and wife Barb was. Love and miss her, Love you, Dad
We were lucky that she chose to spend her life loving us.
As a mother, this article touched me more deeply than is comfortable. I cried all the way through except the part of the total book price! My goodness, these days a single text can cost $200 per book! That made me smile through the tears. Thanks for sharing a bit of your mom with us all.
Right! The essay was not adjusted for inflation. Thank you for your thoughtful comment. I’m grateful that so many people are relating to this.
What a wonderful thing to not only have found that, but to be able to share it for your mother. Good Housekeeping missed out.
Maybe there’s still time. (They’re still in business; I checked). Thanks for the kind thought.
I’d give it a shot, if I were you!
I really enjoyed your mother’s essay and your thoughts about your mom. They sure do hold important roles in our lives even after they are gone. I am sorry that you lost your mom. I was happy to see that you found my writing about my Mom around the same time you were thinking and missing yours. Keep writing I love your work..
Serendipity can be such a wonderful thing, as it was in this case. You have great courage, Amy, and should also be very proud of your work. Best of luck as your work on your book.
This was so beautiful and moving. your mother was a very special person.
Thank you so much for sharing this, for it deserves to be read by all.
May she rest in peace.
Thank you for letting her story into your life. I appreciate your thoughts.
Thank you for sharing. I loved her piece.
She would be happy to know that others were finally seeing it. Thank you.
What a beautiful piece. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you for visiting!
I, too, lost my mother 5 years ago. Being a motherless mother, I can appreciate both yours and your mother’s perspectives. She obviously loved you and your feelings of loss are not lost on me. I keep thinking that time will make the loss easier to deal with. But as you so beautifully said, it seems like a blink and an eternity all at once. The days that seem like a blink are still hard. Thank you for sharing – it is healing to know I’m not alone in this experience.
I am sorry for your loss, Jessica. After five years, I am just now beginning to return to the happy memories that pre-dated the illness. The bad memories clouded everything for a long time. Finding this glimpse into her heart and mind has helped a great deal, and I hope it’s part of a new chapter where I can still recognize the pain but spend much more time recalling all of the many great years we did have.
This was beautiful. Thank you.
You are kind to say so.
Tears! What a beautiful story…..please send it to Good Housekeeping! I have one graduating in 3 years and one in 4 and I have the same emotions stirring within me as your mom described.
It starts that early?! I’m doomed. Mine aren’t teenagers yet, but I guess I need to start getting ready. Thank you for your nice words.
Thanks for sharing such a heartwarming letter from your mom. My wife and I have a daughter that’s a sophomore and I sometimes feel the clock running out when it comes to being at home with us.
I wish you strength. That Hallmark saying about living with your heart outside your body…? Not a cliche.
Reblogged this on Mothers Love Always and commented:
Powerful demonstration of a mothers love.
Thank you for adding your own comment when you reblogged and for referring back here. Classy and appreciated.
Thank you for sharing that wonderful moment, it was inspiring.
This is beautiful. Made me tear up a little and give my Mom a call. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Yes – call your mom! (I should have added that as a call to action. I hope other readers follow your lead).
What a great post. I lost my mother 3 years ago and I know all to well the desire to hear her voice. Incidently I have a voicemail she left me on my birthday in 2011 before she died and of course she sung happy birthday to me again today as she did every other year of my life.
I’m really sorry to hear that, but how amazing to have that phone message. Sometimes all we need is something small to help us regain our strength. (Happy birthday, by the way).
Thank you for this. So many things I write I leave as a trail of breadcrumbs for my boys. This is proof that other Mom’s have left their trails and their boys find them. Lovely.
It definitely helps prove my theory that moms are really, really, really smart. And they always know when you need them most. (And thanks for the shiver).
And your words…just helped this Mom’s day be a little brighter.
What a beautiful piece, tears streaming down my face as I read. Thank you for sharing this memory.
You know, I normally labor over whether to share personal stories. With this, it immediately felt like the right choice. You are all making me glad that I did.
Such beautifully expressed sentiments by a mother…. While we revel at every milestone our children achieve, at heart we crave the last glance, if only to reassure ourselves that you know you carry our love and blessings with you…
I’m starting to experience that as a parent, now. And I think one of the motivations in posting this was so it could serve as my opportunity to finally look back.
I have not lost my mother however have lost 2 grandmother’s whom I was very close with and I teared up as well I still have an old Christmas card packed away that my grandmother wrote some 10-15 years ago it is just beautiful thank you for sharing this
Anything that keeps a loved one’s memory close is worth its weight in gold. Like Tiffany’s comment above… breadcrumbs.
Wow, so beautiful. Being a high school student, I hate to read about this, but it was inspiring nonetheless. Congratulations on being Freshly Pressed!
Thank you! If it’s any consolation, there’s probably nothing you or anyone can do to change how a parent feels about their kids growing up. It’s hard no matter what. But it’s cool because you come out the other side as friends. (You just have to promise them that you’ll make good choices along the way).
Oh man. It is not often I am moved to “ugly tears” from reading a blog post. Bravo Jeremy. You’ve honored that woman as she honored you by her essay. And as she obviously gave you the gift of writing, what a treasure to have her words to hold onto. Thank you for sharing her gift to you with all of us. Just beautiful. Best~ Julie
This entire experience, honestly, has been a gift… to see so many people brought together by her words. I couldn’t ask for much more.
How amazing to have found such thoughtful and beautiful words from your mother. I lost my mother in childhood, and have only dreamed about stumbling across anything similar. Now that I am a mother I can really appreciate what you’ve shared. Thank you.
I’m very sorry that your lost your mother so young. I hope that life continues to provide you with new opportunities to learn something more about her.
Thanks for the kind words. I hope so too.
I was wondering when you were going to learn to look back. I am so glad you finally did and just when she needed you to most. Sharing your mothers words with the World is a great gift. That’s the beauty of the words we write, they outlive us and when they are written with love’s ink then they are eternal. That should be published in The Readers Digest.
I was fortunate to be with her until the end, which gave us many opportunities to talk and reflect. She never told me about this, though!
This is so touching. Brought tears to my eyes. Moms are the best gifts the Universe blesses us with. We should cherish the moments we get to spend with them too.
I love the post. You are quite a lucky son. Cheers, Sam.
Lucky indeed. Thanks so much.
Oi você está bem
Hey Jeremy
What a great post. I lost my mother in 1994. Even after all that time, the feeling of missing her is still fresh. This was a wonderful way for you to pay tribute to your mom’s legacy, and might I add that she was a gifted writer, even if Good Housekeeping didn’t think so. Thank you for sharing!
I deeply appreciate the compliment. She never had the opportunity to go to college herself, but I always thought she would have excelled. She was a voracious reader though, which had an enormous influence on me.
very nice post… thanks
Thank you, as well.
Great post
http://www.fashionforlunch.net
Much obliged
wow!!
That’s what I keep saying to myself, too.
Thank you for sharing this…. Means a lot to me.
It has really been my pleasure.
Reblogged this on idealistrant.
Thank you so much for sharing this, as a mother to two young sons I know that I will face the feelings that your mother faced too. Reading her words have helped to prepare me for that day as well as inspired me to make sure that there will be something of me left behind for them which will hopefully bring them the same feeling closeness that it’s brought to you and so many others.
My kids are still young, too. It’s hard to imagine them being ready to go off to college, but I guess it’s kind of like the first day of kindergarten, just on a much grander scale.
Stumbled upon your post while browsing FP – congratulations! So glad I did! Our Son #2 is a HS Senior this year, and was just accepted to the only college he applied to. For some reason, I’m dreading the ‘letting go’ more now than I was 5 years ago with Son #1. Your mom’s words are timeless – to be cherished!
I’m glad you did, too! I think my mom had you (and other moms like you) in mind when she wrote this and would be touched that you enjoyed it.
This brought back memories of when I went to college way back in 90. Sounds like your mom was a wonderful mother too. Great post!
Thanks, Melissa. Though the years were shorter than I would have liked, they were good years.
Reblogged this on Planning 2 Learn – A 4th Grade Teacher and commented:
I want to share this with my children. Very touching and so true. Thank you for shading this with us..
Thank you for helping the story reach others!
Every word and emotions are so beautifully expressed, bless you and RIP your mother.
I am grateful. Thanks.
That’s awesome, Jeremy. Your mom’s letter reminded me of a great memory I haven’t thought about for years. When my parent’s dropped me off at college my freshman year at Boulder, we had a similarly hectic time. We were all stressed and irritable, our minds in a nervous frenzy, but when the time came to say goodbye my mom grabbed me and hugged me so tight I thought my face would pop off. Right there on the street corner. As she walked away she started to cry and I caught a glimpse of one of the most beautiful and heartbreaking expressions I’ve seen on anyone’s face ever. There’s something super-special and sacred about a mother’s bond to her children. Thanks for reminding me of that, sir. And Mrs. Podolski 🙂
I’m so glad you were able to capture that moment in your memory. I actually have one photo from the day my mom describes, and it is of her and me side-by-side in my dorm room. I look like I’m fighting through a case of salmonella. I’m guessing I was feeling as rough as she was.
Thanks so much for sharing. I was struck by that picture. Was it taken, by any chance, at the Milwaukee County Zoo on the train? I have similar pictures taken when I was a kid.
It was! And I actually have a photo of her from about 7 years ago in the same spot with my daughter, who was about 2 or 3 at the time. I love looking at them side by side.
That picture brings back so many memories! I also have a pic of me as a baby with my grandma and then again with me and my kids. Thank you for sharing. I lost my mom to cancer a while ago and I miss her all of the time. But it helps to read about others’ missing theirs.
This post really resonated with me as I am in the process of transcribing the life of of parents, written by my Mother early last year. Unfortunately it is not finished as she passed away suddenly. However, the 62 pages I have are a joy and one I am compiling into a book of her poems, my Father’s letters, geneology of both sides of the family and photographs. This will be made into books for each of their children (4) and their families to pass down as family history.
These letters & journals are precious insights into a world we, as children, had no knowledge of. Our parents lives were seen from our childhood eyes.
Thank you for sharing.
Mandy
Wow, what an amazing ambitious project. I am sorry for your loss, though I think your work will be an enduring gift for your family.
Thank you. To have a personal history of our ancestors is a precious gift. I wish I had made my grandparents do the same. The details of their everyday lives is lost forever.
Things we find commonplace may be precious for future generations.
is a very good essay and thanks for sharing with us and i hope your gone have a beautiful life now and forever
Thank you, truly.
What a very moving article to share with us. Thank you.
I am happy that I had the opportunity. Thank you.
Next year, my only big brother will be leaving for college. It’s hard for me to imagine because he’s been my roommate and best friend for sixteen years of my life. We live in Myanmar and he’ll be flying all the way to the USA, that’s like an ocean apart. Even though your article was about how a mother felt about her son going to college, I could totally relate to it. Thank you for sharing the essay with us 🙂
What an adventure for your brother, but I completely understand how challenging the transition will be for you both. I’m confident that the strong relationship you’ve built will endure the miles and time apart, and I hope you get the chance to talk or write to each other often. Thank you for sharing your story with me!
You literally made my day. As a chaotic mother of four in the thick of mayhem and bodily fluids it’s sometimes hard to remember why I got into this mothering business. Your mother’s wise words reminded me all morning that these days will pass all too quickly, and also, that the reason I blog is so that my kids will someday know that between the yelling and time outs, I loved them desperately. What a tribute to your mother and a treasure for the rest of us. Thank you.
Right – at some point, we transition from “Stop drawing on the dog with marker” to “I thought you were going to call at least once a week.” I’ll take the scribbling as long as I can get it. Thanks for your nice comment.
Having sent my two children off to college in the past few years, your mom’s essay is spot on! It brought back memories (and tears) of each of my kids heading for college and my hope that they will eventually “look back.” Thank you so much for sharing this piece. Your mom would be proud.
I’m so glad you connected with this story. I can’t wait for your “kids” to look back for you, if they haven’t already.
What a heart-wrenching (in the best way) tribute to discover. She loved you. I think that’s the best memory you can have of a person, knowing you were loved.
– Kit
That is a comforting thought. Thank you.
This is beautiful. You should send this link to Good Housekeeping! 🙂
I will! Thank you for serving as witnesses.
What a beautiful tribute to your mother and the relationship you shared. As the mother to an only son, I dread the thought of the day he leaves for college, all the while knowing that it will come and it will be the right thing for him; your mother’s essay made me smile and cry. Thank you so much for sharing her essay with your readers. And GH definitely missed out! 🙂
It’s such a weird feeling to dread something and be excited for it at the same time. You may never be ready, but you can look forward to a happy ending! Thanks for writing.
What a lovely and thoughtful way to celebrate your mom. Well done, and very moving. Thanks for this.
I like that you chose the word celebrate. Thank you.
Reblogged this on Michael Somers.
I tried so hard not to cry at the end, but it all just came out. That was so movingly beautiful and truly a very thoughtful post that I know has touched plenty of lives. Thank you so much for sharing that with us.
I’m sorry for the tears, but I guess those are good for us sometimes. Thank you for writing.
No don’t be sorry man, I just meant to say how touching this piece was (:
How beautiful a thing, to find and (hear) her words after she’s passed. I’m sorry for your loss. However, I’m one of those people that believe our loved ones look out for us and say hello when they can. Maybe this was her “Hello, son. I’m still here & a mother always loves.”
It was a great time for her to do so, if that’s the case. I’d like to believe it is. Thank you.