A Mother's Day Message from a Dying Mommy to All Mothers of the World

Paige E. Hilfer was born on December 18, 1967 and died on March 22, 2012 at the age of 44.

Her beauty stood out more than her baldness. We didn't speak, and I didn't stare, but I sat in the airport terminal and wrote in my writing pad:

"A true beauty is one whose features are so fine that she retains her loveliness 

even when her hair is gone."

Sad. So young.

Nestled in my assigned airplane seat, I hoped whoever sat next to me was prepared to sleep for the next three hours for I had a manuscript to edit. Oh yes, I did have work to do. Work God prepared for me to do before I was ever born.

Sweet bald-headed beauty stopped at my row and slid into the seat next to me.  I was quick to keep my eyes on the papers scattered in front of me.

"Hi. My name is Paige. Are you writing a book?"

Now that's a sentence that grabs a writer's attention. We started talking.

She had cancer. 

Deadly. 

And three children. 

Lively.

Eager to talk, she shared how her life and her parenting changed when she learned she had little time to impact the lives of her children. I told her I would write her thoughts and share them with the world. So, here is Paige's bucket list in her own words:

Meaningful moments will replace materialism as the goal for the day.

Family celebrations will not be missed.

My children are no longer my world. 
Instead, 
I want to show the world to my children.

Teach my children that  life is about real people who need real people
 — not about video games and the latest toys.

My days of selfishness 
— of materialism — 
are gone and 
my life giving back has begun.

Show my children the hurting in the world 
so compassion grows in their hearts
 and they see 
the world consists of more than 
what they see on video games.

Grow my children to be kind instead of selfish.

Grow my children to care more about people than possessions.

Teach my children that they are on this earth to be angels — messengers from God.

My new friend shared  how cancer changed her heart.

 I was such a selfish person, 
then cancer  hit 
and the angels arrived.

Angels without wings 
showed up daily at my door.

Angels handed me their tickets 
when they realized I was sick 
and there was no seat for me on the airplane.

Angels surrounded me 
with weeks of prepared meals 
and child care.

Angels gave $20,000 
to help with my medical expenses.

She smiled and said, 
"And God placed an angel 
in the airplane seat beside me today."

I felt the same way. God gave me the honor of sitting beside an angel named Paige.

Cancer was a gift that changed her thinking from

Let's see how many toys I can accumulate

to

Let's see how many lives I can touch before I die.

I'm thankful she touched mine.

I promised her I would write this Mother's Day message from her to you. May it live  on in your heart and in the lives of your children.as you teach them their purpose on earth:

To be Angels.

Happy Mother's Day dear moms! Cherish your babies every second God gives you to hold them and to teach them that  God has them on earth to be an angel to someone today.

Please pray for Paige's family on this Mother's Day. May they somehow find this post and be comforted.  Pray for all children who miss their mommy today and every day. May God splash serenity and 10,000 angels on their lives. And the dear  moms who watch their children die. May this Mother's Day be a day of beauty and peace that can only come from You, dear God.

"For we are God's workmanship, 

created in Christ Jesus to do good works, 

which God prepared in advance for us to do." 

Ephesians 2:20

Be an angel to a hurting mom this Mother's Day,

Elaine