As the anniversary of my mother's death approaches, I have this song constantly on my mind. The last verse is the epitome of her unwavering selflessness. Listen to these powerful words that Diana Ross sings with such emotion that it could be true & in my case, it is. But i never "got a telegram" & she never "passed away while making homemade jam". She was taken from me tragically as i was finishing my fourth year at the University of Toronto. I was informed of her death by the Toronto police. I missed my graduation & rushed back home to care for my younger brother in grade 8 which made me grow up really fast. It's not the way i envisioned my life but i had no choice but to make the best of this tragedy I faced as a young adult. I do regret how i treated her in my early teens. The words of the last verse could have been written for me as they describe her perfectly, saying how hard she worked. She really was remarkable at everything she did but i didn't realize it then & am living in shame for it now, just like the song says. When i gave the eulogy at her memorial, there wasn't a dry eye in the church. She was so well loved. I have her ashes in a heart shaped necklace i wear everyday. The rest of her ashes are in an urn by my bed. I still pray to her everynight hoping she hears me.