Editor’s Note: Lennie Rizzo recently was awarded the Paul Harris Fellow award from Rotary. Receiving the award made Rizzo think of his late mother. The following is a letter he wrote to his mother some time ago.

Dear Mom:

I’m sorry that this letter is a little bit late, but then all my life I’ve been a little bit late where you’re concerned.

I always prided myself for doing what was right for all those dear to me, except for you mom, you I took for granted. You, the most cherished of them all, I wonder why that is? Why is it I always put off that phone call I should have made or even why I’m so damned late with this letter? I know the answer, Momma, it’s because you were always dependable, the one constant in my life, you were always there. I can’t imagine a time when you weren’t there for me and now I can’t bear that you’ll never be again.

Perhaps this letter isn’t even necessary, you’ve always known what was in my heart and I’m sure you do now. Maybe I need to write it to ease my own burden. Everything I am I owe to you my darling.

You always said, “God never gives you more than you can bear.” You’re with Him now and that makes me happy, I suppose you’ve done enough suffering. It tears me apart that I couldn’t physically say goodbye, though I’m sure your last visit was for that purpose. Anyway, goodbye Momma, I’ll surely miss you.

A funny thing, Momma, while you were there I didn’t think of you enough, there were always more important things to tend to. Now that you’re gone you are constantly in my thoughts, the essence of you is deeply embedded in my heart. So you see my darling you were right again, God has given me only what I could bear.

Now that you are no longer there, you are always here. I love you, Momma.

Your son, Leonard