I never knew how well Mother could keep a trust until I was going through her things after she died．I discovered something I had 1 forgotten, something that happened to me as a child．
One night, as I lay in bed 2 my sisters and I had said our prayers, I recalled the events of the day and how 3 I behaved toward Mother．“I must make things right before going to sleep, ” I thought．
Quietly I 4 out of bed and picked up pencil and paper from the dresser, then tiptoed into the hall．The 5 from the living room shone dimly．I knew Mother was downstairs mending socks．
I quickly 6 a note asking Mother to forgive me for being so 7 ．I didn't want my brothers and sisters to know my 8 , so I added a postscript： “Please don't let anyone see this．” Then I quietly moved 9 my parents’ bedroom and put the letter under Mother's pillow．
The next morning, when I 10 my bed after breakfast．I unexpectedly found a 11 note under my pillow．Mother wrote that she loved me and 12 me．
This became my 13 of apologizing whenever I talked back or disobeyed．Mother always left a return note, but she never 14 our under-the-pillow messages in front of the family．Even when we were 15 , she never mentioned them when we brothers and sisters recalled our childhood．
When mother 16 , I had to go through her personal belongings．In her desk was a bundle of notes tied with a faded ribbon．On top was a message in her handwriting．It read, “In the event of my death, please 17 these．”
I 18 the packet and glanced at the handwriting on the bottom．To my surprise I 19 my childish writing, “P．S．Please don't let anyone see this．Love, Edie．”
I gently placed the unopened bundle in the 20 along with other things for the rubbish burner．“Lord, ” I prayed “make me like my mother．”
