Page 9 - June 2015 Catalyst

A MOTHER’S INCREDIBLE LOVE
By Gladys Grimaud | Continued from page 6
revealed by an aging adoring niece.
“What does it take to upstage Winston Churchill?” The answer is simple. Only one thing! A mother’s incredible love! Nora Faye Pickett was a tall, thin, dark-haired ravishing beauty with captivating brown eyes when she celebrated her 15th birthday on December 7, 1941. Before the day was over, however, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor making her birthday a day that would live in infamy. The nation
so for Aunt Faye’s delivery. It was noted im- mediately that the precious baby girl born to Aunt Faye had severe handicaps. As a matter of fact, the doctor told Aunt Faye that Carolyn Sue, or “Susie,” her newborn, would not live to be ten years old. But this is when the love of an incredible mother kicked in! Aunt Faye deter- mined to live up to the meaning of her name: confidence, trust, and belief. She made a deci- sion that nothing could keep her from having confidence that the love she had for Susie would
“She decided that she would trust God to sustain her whatever lay ahead for her and Susie. And she had the audacity to believe that Susie would live!”
grieved at the loss of 2,403 Americans, 188 de- stroyed planes, and a crippled Pacific Fleet that had 8 damaged or destroyed battleships. She and the nation would have to live a few more years with grief, but the birth of a baby is always a joyous occasion. In August 1943, at the age of 17, Aunt Faye just like other mothers could hardly wait to hold her first born whether boy or girl.
As the custom was, the baby would more than likely be born at home, just as I had been only nine months earlier. My little Mama and Aunt Faye were good friends, and I am sure that is why my first name is Gladys (my mother’s name), and my middle name is Faye (as in Nora Faye). Allhadgonewellwithmybirth,butnot
make a difference. She decided that she would trust God to sustain her whatever lay ahead for her and Susie. And she had the audacity to be- lieve that Susie would live!
Over the years, the entire Pickett and Cox fam- ily observed Aunt Faye lovingly caring for Su- sie, even though Susie could never walk, talk, or sit up by herself. Aunt Faye, and mostly Aunt Faye, cared for her in every way...feeding her, bathing her, doting on her and even getting up in the middle of the night to turn Susie in her bed as she slept so that Susie would not have bedsores. And Susie. She thrived under such loving care and lived to be 66 years old. As I
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June 2015
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