As we close out another year, we all think about the many things that have happened in the world. We also think of the regrets we have. but for me this year marks the “End of An Era” one in which I will never be able to hear my mother call me and say “Happy New Year” son, my mother left this world on Mother's Day May 14th, 2023, and since she departed it's been many firsts without her she was the matriarch of this family and the one person who always believed in me when no one else did I had the privilege and honor of being with her for 49 years of my life and I thank God for letting me have time with her because everyone is not  as lucky as I have been so I was truly blessed to have her for every year that I have been alive nobody in the world to me was like my mother it will never be the same here without my mother but I will go on knowing that she is in a better place and at peace with knowing that all of her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren will carry on her name as well as her legacy I could write a book of life about my mother and maybe one day I will because everything that she went through it is truly heroic  that she was able to rise above it all and raise a family with love and understanding as she always did. I put my mom through a lot in her lifetime but she never quit loving me or gave up on me she was always there now I have to get used to the fact that she won't be here anymore no Christmases, no birthdays it is truly the end of an era but as she always told me “Son life goes on” and while I know that is true I still feel that loss and I always will, but as I journey to the year 2024 I will continue to be the best that I can be and try to make my mother proud and take care of the family as she always took care of me.