"No Stopping To Think" by Thomas Gery
– “I know what is coming.”
The dying process is a crucible of tension.
Thomas Gery, a common man with uncommon experiences lives in Berks County, Pennsylvania. He served in the U.S. Army with duty in Vietnam. As a social worker he helped children, youth, and adults in a variety of practice venues and situations throughout a work life of 40 years. Married with two adult children and two grandchildren, he is currently writing his life’s story to provide answers to questions his kids will never ask. His earliest published stories have appeared in Personal Story Publishing Project—Lost & Found, Sooner or Later, and Now or Never.
Author’s Talk
Thomas Gery
The reader may wonder about the ending, “It was meant to be.”
It is about a character trait. My mother, Mary, was loyal. She was loyal to her own family especially her mother, to her husband, and to her children. I witnessed Mary’s devotion with almost daily telephone calls to her mom. She would take my undemanding grandmother shopping weekly. She lovingly fulfilled a firstborn’s obligation.
Mom came to selectively rely on me in her later years. I was her last resort. In retrospect Mary had passed down the loyalty trait. Mom had a special way of letting me know it was time to show that trait. She did not overuse it for she was loyal.
I am writing to fill in some little-known elements of my life. Describing my mother’s experiences adds detail to my own. I wish for my children to know about it. They may have questions in the future, past when I am present. My answers may contribute to their decisions. Understanding loyalty is important. Mom, knowingly or not, gave me, her firstborn, the trait. So, when she asked me to help her complete life’s journey in her own home there was no stopping to think; it was meant to be.
