The poem describes the lessons the author learned from her mother about how to comfort others during times of loss and suffering. She learned to bring flowers from her garden to those in the hospital, to prepare large meals for grieving families, to attend viewings for people she didn't know personally, and to offer physical and emotional support to the living. She also learned that what people will remember most is that you came to support them, and that by helping others through difficult times, she gains her own sense of purpose and usefulness.