A Definition

Abstract

Because accepting charity was taboo in our family (as in many others), and because every penny had to be used for food, Mother had to nurse us children through measles, chickenpox, whooping cough, pneumonia, and hepatitis without the assistance of a doctor or prescription drugs—in a time when many of our young friends were dying of these diseases. My invalid grandmother lived for nine years after we moved in with her, and shortly after Grandma's death, Mother gave birth to another child—the first of her five children to be born in a hospital. In spite of her own serious health problems and need for help at home, Mother was adamant about her children's receiving an education, and regardless of our economic status, she always managed to subscribe to at least one magazine and to make books available to us. She herself has never known the joy of going to high school or college, and she has not experienced much ofwhat middle-class America considers absolutely essential for a happy life, but Mae Sutiles Moore is an inspiration to all who meet her. Whether I'm enjoying her homecooked meals, or listening to her sing mountain ballads, or just watching her conquer life with laughter, I am always impressed by her zest for living, and I feel indescribably blessed to call her Mother. A Definition The sight of an apple cold and bare sitting on a cherry table, the window curtains floating in a white honeysuckle wind, for one striking moment makes it clear to me what spring is. —Edgar H. Thompson 17 ...