Michelle Obama says her mom's last four words stayed with her — and reshaped how she sees life
The emotional conversation prepared the celebrity, Mrs. Obama, not only for her mother's death, but for her own as well
When Michelle Obama's mother felt she was nearing the end, she whispered four words that changed her daughter's entire perspective on life. In a conversation with journalist Rachel Martin on her podcast, NPR Wild Card with Rachel Martin, Mrs. Obama opened up on her final moments with Mom, Marian Robinson, and teared up as she recalled how she prepared her for her death. The conversation was also shared on NPR's Instagram account (@npr), where it has been liked by over 281k people so far.
Mrs. Robinson spent her final days with her daughter in Hawaii. Despite her deteriorating condition, she wanted to go back to Chicago because she despised being a liability to her kids. "She was forced to let me take care of her... she didn't want to be a burden," Mrs. Obama revealed on Martin's podcast. Ultimately, Mrs. Robinson's health improved, and she returned home, but in one of her last conversations with her daughter, she revealed a profound life lesson that not many realize until death comes knocking on the door.
Mrs. Obama and her mom were watching television when Mrs. Robinson leaned over and whispered, "Wow, this went fast." The former first lady immediately held her hand and asked what she was talking about, but was left overwhelmed by her mom's beautiful response. "Life— it went fast," she replied. That conversation not only prepared Mrs. Obama to face her mom's passing but also changed her outlook on life and death. "Even when you tell yourself you're ready, if you are living a good life, you are never really ready for it to end," Mrs. Obama said.
Mrs. Obama had grown visibly emotional as she recalled her mom's words. "I hope I feel that way. Even though I will be ready for it because it's been good and purposeful, I will feel like, 'Shit, I wish I had more time,'" she added, suppressing her tears. It's interesting how we all know that death is inevitable, but still struggle to accept the reality. Mrs. Obama, thanks to her mom, talks openly about death without fearing it, but many avoid addressing it at all.
In fact, a 2021 study, "End-of-Life Conversations as a Legacy," by Jeanne M. Sorrell, found that although 90% of people think talking to loved ones about end-of-life wishes is important, only 27% have had such conversations. Forget talking about it; people don't even want to think about it. For instance, a CBS News poll found that more than half (54%) of American respondents usually avoid thinking about their own death, and only 14% spend "a lot of time" thinking about it, and additionally, 31% spend a little time thinking about it.
Meanwhile, reacting to Mrs. Robinson's wise words, @makebigtalk commented, "Wow, I just interviewed an elderly woman and asked her, 'What do you want to do before you die?' And she simply responded, 'To be ready to go.' This interview feels like Michelle's mom and that woman are speaking to one another." Similarly, @falling_away_from_grace said, "Michelle has always had a way with words that's always touched me deeply, and when she speaks on the human experience, I am profoundly changed by what she has had to say." @titanga_minerve confessed, "Thank you, Michelle, for that! Once you hit sixty, it's like you begin to realize how fast life has gone by. You begin to take in the world differently."
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