Commentary 24 Mar 2009 11:21 pm
mom
My first memory is of lying on a couch as it’s hoisted through a window and placed on a truck. I remember, next, lying on that couch on the open backed truck as it drove across an expansion bridge at night. The stars in the sky blended with the lit beams of the bridge to provide a glorious memory. I was probably five or six, and my stepfather was moving my mother out of her Queens home and into their new home in upper Manhattan – or maybe it was the Bronx. I don’t remember.
Those stars and lights of the bridge have stayed with me for a lot of years, and that’s how I entered the new home and a new life. There were five of us – five siblings – and a loving home. Lots and lots of shouting and arguing, lots of running about and lots of energy.
All of our games were imaginary in those pre-computer game days. Cowboys and Indians, Johnny Tremaine, and Cindy. Cindy was our dog – a doberman pinscher. But more she was a cartoon character. We created “films” with the opaque projector we’d found in the trash and these rolled up drawings that slid under the projector told stories. We all had our own studios and made nightly premieres often with soundtracks designed on a reel to reel tape recorder that belonged to my father. With all these “movie studios” we also had newspapers so we could review and talk about each others films. The printing press set allowed us to print out these papers and scatter them about.
Our parents supported all this creativity by not being discouraging. I had the craziest dream of becoming an animator – the next Walt Disney – from the earliest age. I was good at math and english, but my parents didn’t try too hard to get me to work at a career that might actually be profitable. They supported my crazy dream even to the point of helping me build a multiplane camera stand and giving me more than ample room to have my little “studio.”
When I’d actually gotten into the world of animation and things were particularly difficult, it was my mother who did everything for me supporting me in every way possible to continue on in a difficult and complex profession and a small-time entrepeneur to boot. She did the same for all of her kids; she was the safety net if we needed it.
Somehow despite all the turmoil in our lives over the years, we’ve stayed a particularly close family. We don’t all see each other every day – or even week – but we’re ready to help each other out if need be. Whatever’s necessary. This came from both of our parents but most particularly from my mother who was the strong matriarch of our family. She was very independent right to the end, and I think we all picked up some of that strength from her.
Now she’s gone and I’m sorely missing that strength, that back-up support she gave.
Edgar Allan Poe wrote that he believed heaven was in and amongst the stars above us. When we died we moved to that world and shone down on those below. I can only keep my eyes on the stars and think that in some way she’s still there for us. She’s put these five kids out into the world, and now that we’re turning into oldsters, we have the best of what she wanted for us. She’s become the star watching over us, and that’s probably all the support I’ll need.
on 25 Mar 2009 at 7:57 am 1.Mark Mayerson said …
I’m sorry, Michael.
on 25 Mar 2009 at 8:48 am 2.John Schnall said …
So sorry Michael.
A few years back a friend of mine lost his partner and he wrote a song that always resonated with me. The Poe quote above eerily reminded me of it and I thought it might be something to share here:
http://web.mac.com/sonicgloostudios/iWeb/Songs_For_A_Lost_Hungarian/1._Stars.html
on 25 Mar 2009 at 8:53 am 3.Sunny Kharbanda said …
Really sorry for your loss, Michael.
on 25 Mar 2009 at 8:59 am 4.Jason said …
I’m so sorry Michael. Much love to you, Chris and the family.
on 25 Mar 2009 at 10:13 am 5.lew achenbach said …
thinking of you and Christine, feeling for your loss.
on 25 Mar 2009 at 10:33 am 6.Eddie Fitzgerald said …
That’s a terrible thing to happen. I’m really sorry to hear it.
on 25 Mar 2009 at 11:00 am 7.Tim Rauch said …
Thanks for sharing your warm memories, sorry to hear about your loss. It’s great to hear what an important role in your life and work your mother played. My own mother raised a large, happy family perhaps not unlike your own, and I know it can take real personal sacrifice. God bless her.
on 25 Mar 2009 at 11:27 am 8.Dave Levy said …
Michael, I feel as if I know your mom through her fine son who wrote this loving tribute. You and your entire family are in our thoughts.
on 25 Mar 2009 at 12:04 pm 9.Masako said …
Michael, I am so sorry for your loss. My thoughts are with you, Christine and the family… Thank you for sharing your memories; it is a beautiful tribute.
on 25 Mar 2009 at 12:19 pm 10.Tom Sito said …
That was a beautiful tribute Michael, Pat and I are sorry for your loss. I lost my mom in 2007, and I think about her often. I go back to the quote of Blaise Pascal” Life is but a brief interval between two great infinities..”
on 25 Mar 2009 at 12:25 pm 11.Stephen said …
Michael,
My thoughts are with you and your family I’m very sorry for your lose please send my regards to Christine as well
on 25 Mar 2009 at 12:38 pm 12.Rusty Mills said …
Michael my condolences to you and your family. The best legacy in life we can leave behind is the lessons we teach the generations who follow us and your mother obviously has left behind a great legacy in the gifts she taught you.
on 25 Mar 2009 at 12:47 pm 13.Bridget Thorne said …
Dear michael,
I was so sorry to read about your mom. I guess the
good thing about time passing is that your daily life becomes more and more imbued with the presence of those you’ve lost.
That was a beautiful tribute. Love from us both.
Bridget and Gary
on 25 Mar 2009 at 12:57 pm 14.Mark Newgarden said …
Deepest condolences.
on 25 Mar 2009 at 1:11 pm 15.Paul Spector said …
Michael, So sorry for your loss. I get it completely. – Paul
on 25 Mar 2009 at 1:15 pm 16.Dan Caylor said …
We never get to spend enough time with mom when were going after our dreams. I am dreading this day myself. I am extremely sorry for your loss, and I wish you all the strength in the world to overcome it.
on 25 Mar 2009 at 2:05 pm 17.Emmett Goodman said …
My condolences, Mr. Sporn.
on 25 Mar 2009 at 2:07 pm 18.Tom Minton said …
I’ve been there and it’s no fun, though it does get better with time. Your well-chosen words are from the heart. My condolences to you and all of the very lucky people whose creativity your mom encouraged.
on 25 Mar 2009 at 3:02 pm 19.Charles Brubaker said …
My thoughts to you, Michael. Hang in there.
on 25 Mar 2009 at 3:21 pm 20.Michael said …
Thank you all for your wonderful thoughts and wishes. I appreciate them. I’m fine, but thought I had to give her some notice today. This is an animation blog, for the most part, but we’re part of a community as well. If something’s bothering me, I feel no remorse in sharing it with the community I’ve shared for the past 40 years.
on 25 Mar 2009 at 3:56 pm 21.Jenny said …
Your mom obviously did a great job, Michael. Reading this, not knowing her, not being a mother myself but a daughter–I nevertheless felt sure of how proud she was of you, and will continue to be-in your heart and mind and as part of the universe indeed looking down on you. A beautiful tribute. It’s very graceful of you to share your thoughts about her with us. Thank you.
on 25 Mar 2009 at 5:38 pm 22.steve said …
michael: Sorry to have seen you yesterday under such difficult circumstances. The poetic tribute here is further testimony to the wonderful job your mom did in raising you and your family. That she was so instrumental in allowing you to pursue your dreams in animation is justification enough in her inclusion in your blog; that your world of animation is your family is all the more reason.
on 25 Mar 2009 at 6:44 pm 23.Amid said …
I’m sorry for your loss, Michael.
This was a warm and lovely tribute to her.
on 26 Mar 2009 at 3:05 am 24.Sue said …
I’m so sorry to hear about your mom – she was a lovely lady. My thoughts are with you and your family.
on 26 Mar 2009 at 8:32 am 25.Richard O'Connor said …
Tough days, when your world is completely different but everyone goes on as if nothing has changed. When a friend or colleague passes, you can share it with other friends and colleagues. There’s a similar bond, this, though, there is no comparison.
Its fitting you have shared this with us. The other day I remarked how Nicholas Hughes’ life touched our community in a small way. Even more so, your mother has touched all of our lives in important ways. How many pieces of her in you, and your work, have been projected to the world? These bits are everywhere, in all your friends, and nothing can take them.
on 26 Mar 2009 at 8:55 am 26.John Celestri said …
My deepest condolences for your loss, Michael.
on 26 Mar 2009 at 9:23 am 27.Thad said …
My condolences. She did a mighty fine job, I must say.
on 26 Mar 2009 at 3:23 pm 28.Ken Priebe said …
My deepest sympathies to you Michael.
Thanks for sharing your memories.
on 26 Mar 2009 at 11:51 pm 29.David Nethery said …
Dear Michael,
Let me add my sincere condolences and sympathy during this time of grief.
I was greatly moved by your written remembrance of your Mother you posted above. What a wonderful gift to have parents who were so supportive of what you wanted to become and how wonderful for them to have seen you achieve your goals.
on 01 Apr 2009 at 2:59 pm 30.Clint Edwards said …
Dear Michael,
I’m so sorry to hear of your loss. You and your family are in my thoughts and prayers.
on 02 Apr 2009 at 12:40 pm 31.Nadia said …
I haven’t read your blog in awhile and I read this post. I am sorry to hear about the loss of your mom. Just wanted you to know that you and your family are in my thoughts and prayers as well.
on 29 Jun 2009 at 8:00 am 32.Cousin Dan said …
Dear Mike,
Great picture of my aunt and uncle. Come across any pics of uncle Mario in uniform?