Maureen Marie Safranyos

Mother

Born: November 14, 1944
Died: January 13, 2015 in Hamilton, Ontario
Interred: Holy Sepulchre, Burlington

I’d have to say that my favourite time with my Mom throughout my life was whenever we spent time talking on the front porch of my parents’ home. From the time I was a little boy to the time I had kids myself, my Mom always enjoyed sitting in her chair on that porch, reading a novel or magazine, enjoying a drink and snack, and watching the passersby and neighbours go about their business. And while she loved her quiet time out there, she always welcomed myself or my brother, sister, or dad if we asked to join her, relax in a chair beside her, or sit on the nearby concrete stairs. A lot of people in life are very guarded in what they communicate. They mistrust others, and are afraid to say what they truly mean. But my Mom was never like that with me on that porch. All of our conversations…whether they be about television, movies, music…about my friends, girlfriends, school, job, future, or general happiness…about the joy of me getting married, and having three great kids, versus the trying times connected to the eventual failure of my marriage….all of these conversations I had with my Mom were always ones in which I felt completely comfortable telling her the absolute truth about how I really felt, because I knew that she was sincerely listening, due to the fact that she truly cared about me (just like she truly cared about everyone in my family, as well as people in general). I’ve had tough times in my life, like everyone else. And I can tell you that during those dark moments, no matter where I was, many, many times I yearned to be instantly transported onto that front porch beside my Mom, so I could truly talk to someone on a meaningful level, and feel like I was valued as a human being again. That’s how my Mom made me feel in that very special place 100% of the time.