I have to laugh when I hear some people's reaction to my mother's nickname of "Jinx."
"Jinx? What a cool name! She must have been such a fun mom!"
They automatically presume her to be a spirited person of mischief, spontaneity, and adventure. They picture a sexy spitfire in a low-cut, polka dot dress, dashing from one party to the next; the center of attention, a coquettish flirt captivating all the men in attendance.
My laughter comes from the humorous fact she was nothing like that - not in any way. I might even venture to say she may possibly have been one of the most cautious, conservative, rigid, and (sorry Ma!) boring, people I knew. Her hobbies? She sewed, read mystery novels, and did jigsaw puzzles. Her given name of "Josephine" seemed more fitting to me. It conjures up the image of an old-fashioned girl; someone sensible, reliable, practical, and frugal - a much better description of my mother.
Her greatest source of pride came from caring for her husband, children, and home. I believe if I surveyed my three siblings we'd all be in agreement - we preferred having a sensible mother we could rely upon, rather than a party flirt. She was always there for us, even at the expense of herself. So when she got Alzheimer's Disease at age 82, it was time to return her care with the same love and devotion. Reflecting back on her passing in 2014, I can honestly say being her caregiver remains one of my greatest sources of pride.